Phoenix Cardiologists Agree to $4.7M DOJ Settlement

Tri-City Cardiology and three physicians accused of performing unnecessary vein ablations and falsifying records

Mar. 13, 2026 at 12:50am

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A Phoenix-area cardiology practice and three of its physicians have agreed to pay $4.75 million to settle allegations that they performed medically unnecessary vein ablation procedures and falsified records to justify the treatments, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The settlement resolves claims that the defendants violated the False Claims Act by billing Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and the Department of Veterans Affairs for the procedures between January 2017 and April 2022.

Why it matters

This case highlights concerns about healthcare providers prioritizing profits over patient needs, as well as the government's ongoing efforts to crack down on fraudulent medical billing practices that drain resources from federal healthcare programs intended to provide necessary care.

The details

Tri-City Cardiology, which has offices in Chandler, Mesa, and Gilbert, was accused of performing vein ablation procedures on patients who did not meet accepted medical standards for treatment. Prosecutors allege the defendants falsified records of blood flow duration, vein diameter, and patient symptoms to make the procedures appear justified, even though they were medically unnecessary.

  • The alleged violations occurred between January 2017 and April 2022.
  • The $4.75 million settlement was announced on March 13, 2026.

The players

Tri-City Cardiology

A Phoenix-area cardiology practice with offices in Chandler, Mesa, and Gilbert.

Dr. Jaskamal Kahlon

One of the three Tri-City Cardiology physicians accused of performing unnecessary vein ablations and falsifying records.

Dr. Joshua D. Cohen

One of the three Tri-City Cardiology physicians accused of performing unnecessary vein ablations and falsifying records.

Dr. Marc J. Berkowitz

One of the three Tri-City Cardiology physicians accused of performing unnecessary vein ablations and falsifying records.

Brett A. Shumate

Assistant Attorney General who stated that "Physicians should not prioritize profit over patient needs."

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What they’re saying

“Physicians should not prioritize profit over patient needs. Medicare and other federal programs pay only for medical care that meets accepted standards, and the falsification of medical records undermines efforts to assess whether medical care was appropriate.”

— Brett A. Shumate, Assistant Attorney General

“When medical providers do not respect the difference between the two and bill in the interest of their own bottom line instead of their patients, the United States Attorney's Office has pursued and will continue to pursue appropriate recoveries to protect taxpayer funds.”

— Timothy Courchaine, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona

What’s next

The settlement requires Tri-City Cardiology and the three physicians to implement a corporate integrity agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure future compliance with federal healthcare program requirements.

The takeaway

This case underscores the government's commitment to cracking down on healthcare fraud and holding providers accountable for prioritizing profits over patient care. It serves as a warning to other medical practices that may be tempted to bill for unnecessary procedures or falsify records to justify treatments.