A Madison psychiatrist will give up his practice and pay a six-figure fine, after allegations that he over-billed TennCare by nearly a million dollars.
The state Attorney General says AKM Fakhruddin saw about 150 TennCare patients. Most of the appointments were to make an adjustment to medication, lasting just a few minutes. Prosecutors say Fakhruddin would bill the state for full psychotherapy sessions. These kind of appointments usually last about an hour, but Fakhruddin sometimes claimed to see as many as 15 patients in a single day.
The over-billing is alleged to have occurred over a three-year period, starting in 2007. He denies wrongdoing, but Fakhruddin has agreed to pay a $325,000 fine. He’ll also retire and sell his psychiatry practice.
The investigation was carried out by a special task force of TBI officers, TennCare officials, and lawyers in the Attorney General’s office. Last year, the group says it recovered more than $18 million from healthcare providers who were trying to bilk TennCare.
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