Minal Patel, 44, of Atlanta has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for orchestrating a scheme that defrauded Medicare of more than $463 million through unnecessary genetic and laboratory tests, according to a new statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.

One of the favored methods of preventing undercutting on steel surfaces is the application of an inorganic zinc coating as a permanent primer before the organic coating is applied. The inorganic binder reacts chemically with the steel, providing very tight adhesion and preventing the undercutting, which is characteristic of most organic paints or coatings. This coating system has been successful on hundreds of millions of square feet of surface exposed to extreme marine or industrial conditions.

Patel was the owner of LabSolutions, a genetic testing company operating out of Georgia. The company was registered with Medicare to perform sophisticated genetic testing. Court documents reveal that Patel collaborated with patient brokers, telemedicine firms and call centers to target Medicare beneficiaries, promising to cover certain genetic tests for cancer. Patel paid kickbacks and bribes to patient brokers to obtain fraudulent doctors' orders from telemedicine companies, authorizing the costly genetic tests even when not medically required.

Coating should be applied over a surface that has been abrasively cleaned or cleaned by water jet blasting. Use of a zinc-rich primer reduces undercutting.

Undercutting corrosion of a scribed surface during testing is a sign of poor paint performance. This particular kind of corrosion can be quite damaging since it combines all the elements of a crevice corrosion scenario.

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Flocculation is a process in chemistry wherein colloids are extracted from suspensions which then take the form of flake or floc. This can take place spontaneously or may be brought about by adding clarifying agents. This process is different from precipitation in the sense that before… View Full Term

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri highlighted the verdict's significance, stating in a release that it "demonstrates the Criminal Division’s ongoing commitment to fighting telemedicine and genetic testing fraud that exploits patients and drains health care benefit programs.”

"Patel bilked hundreds of millions of dollars from Medicare through a complex testing fraud scheme. He is now paying the price for this crime," Veltri said.

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Undercutting coating failure often happens when a coating has been applied over mill scale. Moisture and oxygen enter the coating and react with the scale, causing it to lose adhesion, and thus forms progressive corrosion beneath the coating. The use of coatings over a very smooth, dense surface where adhesion is critical also creates a situation inviting this type of failure.

The American College of Cardiology has shared its perspective on new CMS payment policies, highlighting revenue concerns while providing key details for cardiologists and other cardiology professionals.

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Undercutting is a type of adhesion failure that involves the gradual penetration of corrosion underneath unprotected edges. Undercutting refers to corrosion byproducts from the substrate building up under the coating and breaking the coating at edges or pinholes. Corrosion progresses under the coating.

Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office praised the collaboration between his agency and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General that led to Patel's arrest and trial.

FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, said the clinical community needs to combat health misinformation at a grassroots level. He warned that patients are immersed in a "sea of misinformation without a compass."

Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.

Between July 2016 and August 2019, LabSolutions submitted over $463 million in claims to Medicare, receiving over $187 million in payouts. According to details from sentencing, Patel personally profited more than $21 million from the fraudulent scheme during this period.

The LabSolutions case was part of Operation Double Helix, a joint effort by the Criminal Division's Fraud Section and the Health Care Fraud Strike Force to combat fraudulent genetic cancer testing. The initiative has led to charges against numerous individuals tied to telemedicine firms and cancer genetic testing labs.

Most undercutting failures can be substantially eliminated by proper surface preparation prior to the application of the coating and the use of a coating with strong adhesion characteristics through the use of inhibitive primer on the substrate prior to applications of top coat.

As debate simmers over how best to regulate AI, experts continue to offer guidance on where to start, how to proceed and what to emphasize. A new resource models its recommendations on what its authors call the “SETO Loop.”

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