Fresno acupuncturist reaches agreement with government over VA claims

A Fresno acupuncturist has agreed to a settlement after being accused of overstating the services he provided to veterans.

Young Sam Kim will pay the government $850,000 to settle the charges.

The big picture: Kim practices acupuncture at Acuworld Health Clinic in Fresno and has provided care to veterans through federal programs funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Health Administration.

• He was accused of submitting significantly inflated bills to the VA for acupuncture services for the period from 2016 to 2020.
• The Justice Department said Kim made multiple claims for working more than 24 hours in one day.

What they say: “The exploitation of government health care programs designed to help veterans is inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “We will continue to hold accountable those who exploit such programs for personal gain.”

• “The VA Office of Inspector General is committed to ensuring that veterans receive the quality health care they deserve, and we will continue to work to ensure that VA health care services are not compromised by fraudulent billing practices,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov of the Northwest Field Office of the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney's Office for their efforts in this investigation.”