A Fresno acupuncturist has agreed to a settlement after being accused of overstating services that he provided to veterans.
Young Sam Kim will pay $850,000 to the government to resolve the allegations.
The big picture: Kim practices acupuncture at Acuworld Health Clinic in Fresno and has provided care to veterans through federal programs funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration.
- He faced allegations for submitting claims for payments to the VA from 2016 to 2020 for acupuncture services that were significantly overstated.
- The Department of Justice said that Kim submitted claims multiple times for working more than 24 hours in a single day.
What they’re saying: “The exploitation of federal health care programs designed to help Veterans is inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “We will continue to hold accountable those who defraud such programs for personal gain.”
- “The VA Office of Inspector General is committed to ensuring veterans receive the quality health care they deserve, and we will continue to work to make certain that VA healthcare services are not compromised by fraudulent billing practices,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this investigation.”
