First Posted: 1/15/2009
LUMBERTON - A Lumberton doctor and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina reached an out-of-court settlement recently in a dispute over fraudulent billing charges.
The trial, which was expected to last three months, ended abruptlylast week in a Orange County Superior Court after about a month of testimony.
The insurance company claimed that it overpaid Dr. Anita Jackson millions of dollars between 2000 and 2004 because she had submitted fraudulent claims. The company also sued to audit Jackson's business records.
Jackson, who has two offices - Greater Carolina Ear, Nose and Throat and Carolina Family Urgent Care - in Lumberton, countersued, saying that for 10 months the insurance company harassed and intimidated her. She said Blue Cross never provided a fee schedule to her practices to guide her in how much she could bill for services. Jackson also has offices in Clayton and is on staff at WakeMed.
As part of the agreement, the terms of the settlement were sealed.
Lew Bournman, a spokesman for Blue Cross Blue Shield, would only say that both parties were “satisfied” with the confidential settlement.
Jackson and her attorney, Robert Zaytoun of Raleigh, did not return repeated telephone calls to their offices that were made on Thursday.
