Excessive drug testing suit dropped against Sen. Dickerson

FILE- In this Nov. 8, 2016 file photo, Tennessee state Sen. Steve Dickerson addresses the media in Nashville, Tenn. Tennessee Sen. Steve Dickerson has been added as a defendant in a lawsuit accusing a pain clinic company he co-owns with violations of the False Claims Act. Court filings claim the Tennessee-based pain clinic company that once operated in 12 states defrauded the government of millions of dollars by submitting claims for unnecessary procedures and falsifying documents. (George Walker IV/The Tennessean via AP, File)
FILE- In this Nov. 8, 2016 file photo, Tennessee state Sen. Steve Dickerson addresses the media in Nashville, Tenn. Tennessee Sen. Steve Dickerson has been added as a defendant in a lawsuit accusing a pain clinic company he co-owns with violations of the False Claims Act. Court filings claim the Tennessee-based pain clinic company that once operated in 12 states defrauded the government of millions of dollars by submitting claims for unnecessary procedures and falsifying documents. (George Walker IV/The Tennessean via AP, File)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A state and federal lawsuit was dismissed against a Tennessee senator, whose medical company was accused of excessively billing health programs.

A lawsuit seeking to recover $50 million in civil damages against State Sen. Steve Dickerson, a Nashville Republican, and co-defendant Dr. Gilberto Carrero was permanently dismissed Tuesday, The Tennessean reported.

Dickerson was an anesthesiologist and one of the founders of Comprehensive Pain Specialists, known as CPS, and Carrero was one of the company's owners.

The lawsuit accused Dickerson and Carrero of failing to intervene for excessive drug testing billings by the company, and accused Dickerson of filing more than 750 false claims with government insurance programs.

The scheme allegedly defrauded the government at least $25 million between 2013 to 2018, when the company shut down.

The lawsuit said CEO John Davis largely orchestrated the scheme and was later convicted of health care fraud.

Dickerson, who is up for reelection this fall, said he's a glad a settlement was reached.

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