Springfield cardiologist indictment: What to know

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Dr. Salim Dahdah and his wife Cindy Dahdah were indicted with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud and making false statements, according to a Dayton U.S. District Court affidavit.

Here are some key things to know about the investigation and indictment:

1. This was a part of a massive initiative. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price announced the investigation Thursday as a part of the "largest health care fraud takedown operation in American History," according to Sessions.

2. Dr. Dahdah and his wife were two of 412 defendants. One hundred and fifteen doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals were arrested for health care fraud schemes with almost $1.3 billion in false billings.

More than 120 defendants were charged with prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics.

3. Dahdah and his wife allegedly fraudulently received more than $2 million. The money was received from Medicare and Medicaid for unnecessary tests such as nuclear stress tests and coronary interventions, according to a Department of Justice press release. 

4. Nearly 300 health care providers are being suspended or banned from federal health care programs. Sessions said he hopes the combined effort and investigations will send a message to potential criminals.

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