Dr. Adam B. Smith, also known as “Adam Bryant,” is facing accusations of defrauding taxpayers and falsely billing Medicare and Medicaid for procedures he allegedly never performed. The United States and the State of Iowa have filed a lawsuit against Smith, alleging that over a five-year period, he submitted false claims for healthcare services to government payors.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Smith practiced plastic surgery at Tri-State Specialists in Sioux City from August 2014 to August 2019. During this time, it is claimed that Smith engaged in a “concerted pattern of fraudulent behavior” aimed at obtaining or increasing government reimbursement. Allegations include the use of templated medical records containing false, contradictory, or fabricated information about patients’ health status, care provided, and procedures performed.
The DOJ asserts that Smith attempted to conceal the true nature of surgical procedures by performing non-covered cosmetic procedures while billing them as medically necessary surgeries eligible for reimbursement from Medicare or Medicaid. Smith is accused of billing government payors for complicated and highly compensated procedures allegedly performed in unusually short amounts of time, resulting in excessive payments to him and his practice.
For instance, it is claimed that Smith billed Medicaid for a “tummy tuck” procedure as a medically necessary hernia repair, allegedly receiving $3,750 in undeserved payments. Smith has since responded to these allegations, denying any wrongdoing.
The United States alleges that Smith submitted over 1,000 false claims for payment. Under the federal False Claims Act, the United States seeks judgment for each false claim, along with triple the total cost of the false claims.
Court records reveal that prior to practicing in Iowa, Smith faced accusations of fraudulent Medicare billing during his tenure as a plastic surgeon in Traverse City, Michigan. A civil suit filed in December 2021 resulted in a default judgment against Smith and his practice.
Dr. Matthew Steele, a colleague of Smith at Tri-State Specialists, reportedly brought attention to Smith’s billing practices, initiating litigation against him under the False Claims Act in 2019. As the whistleblower, Steele stands to benefit from any monetary recovery resulting from the DOJ’s pursuit of the case.
In 2021, Smith voluntarily surrendered his Iowa medical license following charges by the Iowa Board of Medicine related to his billing practices. That same year, Tri-State Specialists reached a settlement agreement with the United States for $612,501.
