Implant Kick-Back Suit Settled

Cochlear Americas has agreed to pay $880,000 to settle accusations it paid off doctors and health care providers to push its cochlear implant systems for Medicare and Medicaid patients. The decision is the outcome of a lawsuit that started back in 2004, filed in Colorado. Cochlear Americas is a subsidiary of Coclear Limited, an Australian company. A Justice Department spokesman said, "Today's actions demonstrate that the United States will not tolerate the payment of kickbacks by any entity involved in providing medical goods and services to beneficiaries of federal health care programs."