Tennessee physician group agrees to pay $2.8 million to resolve allegations that non-physician services were billed under physicians' NPIs
Published November 8, 2026 · Coverage November 1–7, 2026, Pacific · Medium priority
The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee announced on November 2 that Premier Medical Group, P.C., a multi-physician practice in Clarksville, Tennessee, agreed to pay $2.8 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations. The United States alleged that from November 1, 2018 through May 31, 2023 Premier billed Medicare and TRICARE for services performed by non-physician practitioners using physicians' National Provider Identifier numbers. DOJ states the claims are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. The release names no relator and no Corporate Integrity Agreement.
Background
Premier Medical Group, P.C. is a multi-physician medical practice based in Clarksville, Tennessee, and TRICARE, one of the two programs named in the allegations, is described in the release by a Department of Defense Office of Inspector General official as the military's primary health care program. The settlement resulted from an investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, with assistance from the Defense Criminal Investigative Service of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General.
Who this affects
Physician groups, hospital-employed and hospital-affiliated practices billing services of nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
Why it matters
Inference: hospital-employed and hospital-affiliated practices that improperly bill Medicare or TRICARE for services performed by non-physician practitioners under a physician's NPI face the kind of False Claims Act allegations resolved here for $2.8 million; the release does not say which billing rule was not met. Revenue cycle and practice operations can test rendering-provider accuracy in professional claims.
Required actions
- None for organizations that are not parties to this settlement. The payment obligation falls on the settling practice.
Recommended action
- Audit a sample of professional claims where the rendering NPI is a physician but documentation shows an NP or PA performed the service.
- Confirm that charge capture and coder edits record the practitioner who actually performed each service.
Scope and timing
- Authority status
- Settled
- Responsible owner
- Revenue Cycle; Compliance; Medical Group Operations
- Publication date
- 2026-11-02
- Other dates
- Alleged conduct November 1, 2018 through May 31, 2023.
Not established
DOJ's online record of the release includes no settlement agreement; terms beyond the release are not established. DOJ's record for the release shows it was last changed on November 3, 2026; what changed is not stated.
Sources
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