PORTLAND, Maine — A Damariscotta dentist has agreed to pay $90,000 to resolve allegations that he submitted false claims to MaineCare for services he did not provide, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Joseph W. Griffin, who has retired from practice, submitted false claims between July 1, 2014, through July 1, 2015, to the Maine Medicaid program, according to the complaint filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court along with the settlement agreement.
“I am pleased that we were able to swiftly and fairly resolve this matter, and I feel that this resolution is in the best interests of Dr. Griffin and his family,” the dentist’s attorney, William Avantaggio of Damariscotta, said Tuesday in an email.
Griffin allegedly submitted claims totaling $164,972 to MaineCare for dental services that either were not rendered, were not medically necessary or were so inadequately documented in the patient’s medical record as to be unreviewable, according to court documents.
“The settlement amount reflected Dr. Griffin’s inability to repay the full amount improperly billed and his retirement from his dentistry practice,” the release said.
MaineCare is funded primarily by the federal government which pays about two-thirds of all claims submitted.
U.S. District Judge John Woodcock must approve the settlement before it becomes final.