[Rusty0604]

“Salomon Melgen, a Florida ophthalmologist who specializes in injections for age-related macular degeneration, was paid $20,827,341 in 2012”

So if this guy was paid 20.8 million he actually billed over 60 million? In any normal business not run by gov’t, this would not have happened.

[proxy_user]

The NY Times has just revealed who he is:

“The doctor who was paid the most by Medicare is a South Florida ophthalmologist whose offices were twice raided last year by the F.B.I. and whose generous political contributions and cozy relationship with a New Jersey senator, Robert Menendez, are under investigation by federal public corruption prosecutors, a New York Times analysis of Medicare data shows.”

“The release of the Medicare figures was the latest in a series headline-grabbing disclosures that have dogged the doctor since January of last year. The millionaire surgeon, who lives in a 5,000-square-foot home in North Palm Beach and travels by private jet, is better known as the generous campaign contributor whose close relationship with Mr. Menendez, a Democrat, has been scrutinized by federal prosecutors.”

“He is a central figure in two different federal investigations. In January and October last year, F.B.I. agents were spotted carrying boxes out of his offices.”

[SC DOC]

“Salomon Melgen, a Florida ophthalmologist who specializes in injections for age-related macular degeneration, was paid $20,827,341 in 2012”

So if this guy was paid 20.8 million he actually billed over 60 million? In any normal business not run by gov’t, this would not have happened.

He needs to be audited by Medicare.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

This really, really makes me angry. First of all, those injections were made possible because of a variety of biotech and pharma companies (e.g. Genentech) who came up with this anti-angiogenic strategy to treat macular degeneration. They charge a ton for these injections, partially because of R&D costs, but also partially because they can. I know, as I've spoken to principles from many, and when they are honest this is what they will tell you.

That said, this ophthalmologist had nothing to do with development of these therapies, you could train a ton of people to do these injections for a lesser price (it's just an intraocular injection), and for someone to become so incredibly wealthy in this manner really angers me. I'm a sub specialist, and I don't do primary care, but if I were a primary care doc and knew that I could spend 45 minutes with a patient going over all of their issues, then additional time researching their condition afterwards, and get paid a small fraction of what this guy gets by having an eye injection factory, I'd be very upset.