Dr. Rajesh Bindal, a 53-year-old neurosurgeon from Sugar Land, Texas, has agreed to pay $2,095,946 to settle allegations that he submitted false claims for surgical procedures that were never performed. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas made the announcement today, revealing that Bindal operated his medical practice, Texas Spine & Neurosurgery Center P.A., under fraudulent billing practices between March 16, 2021, and April 22, 2022.
According to the department, Bindal submitted claims to Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes, a procedure that typically requires an operating room. However, investigations revealed that Bindal and his staff did not perform the surgeries as billed. Instead, patients were given electro-acupuncture devices—small monofilament wires inserted into the ear and secured with adhesive—without any incision or surgical intervention.
These device placements were allegedly carried out by a sales representative or a physician assistant, not by a licensed surgeon, and were falsely billed as surgeries. Most patients reported that the devices fell off after a few days due to the adhesive loosening, and all procedures took place in Bindal’s clinic, not in a hospital or surgical center.
U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani commented on the case, emphasizing that a neurosurgeon like Bindal should have known the difference between actual surgery and non-invasive procedures. “Even though neurosurgeons are among the highest paid specialists, Bindal allegedly submitted false claims to enrich himself,” said Hamdani.
The settlement resolves the false claims allegations, with Dr. Bindal agreeing to pay over $2 million to cover the fraudulent billing practices.