For Immediate Release: Sept. 12, 2007

State Investigators Seize Records of Cincinnati Doctor

Search Warrants Executed Due to Potential Billing Irregularities

COLUMBUS – The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) last night executed search warrants at three locations related to the practice of Dr. Kode Murthy, a Cincinnati area psychiatrist. State investigators gathered evidence to determine if billing irregularities have occurred.

“Ohio’s injured workers deserve quality medical care and treatment,” said SIU Special Agent Joel Demory. “To ensure that our claimants’ needs are appropriately met, the BWC expects that each of its providers comply with the law when providing medical treatment, and when documenting and charging for the services which they provide to injured workers.”

State agents executed the warrants on the doctor’s offices located in Cincinnati and Milford, as well as his billing specialist’s Goshen residence, in efforts to obtain documents that could assist in the investigation. This joint-investigation is being conducted by the SIU, the Ohio Department of Insurance, the State Medical Board of Ohio and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office – Medicaid Fraud Section.

BWC’s Special Investigative Unit is the law enforcement section of the BWC, which investigates fraud in Ohio’s workers’ compensation system. In FY 2007, the SIU closed nearly 3,000 investigations and referred 301 subjects for criminal prosecution, securing 111 indictments.

Contact: Keary McCarthy
mccarthy.keary@bwc.state.oh.us

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