Attorneys: Millions Of Dollars Flowed As Doctor Ordered Needless Heart Procedures
(CBS) -- More than two dozen people are now suing an Indiana cardiologist and hospital, claiming they went under the knife unnecessarily.
CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports attorneys are now demanding answers from hospital officials about why they allegedly let it go on for years.
Lynn Blosky clutches a picture of her son James Tackett. Last April, one day after getting a pacemaker implanted at Munster Community Hospital, he died suddenly, next to his mother as she was driving him home.
The operation was performed by an associate of cardiologist Arvind Gandhi. Blosky is now suing Gandhi, his practice and the hospital, blaming them for her son's death. The suit says the procedure was not necessary.
Blosky's lawsuit is one of 28. All allege that Gandhi recommended or performed dozens, if not hundreds, of unnecessary heart surgeries. The suits accuse hospital officials of knowing about it.
The procedures were lucrative for the defendants, lawyers for plaintiffs say. The lawsuits point out that in 2012, for example, Dr. Gandhi received more than $2.1 million in Medicare reimbursements.
Plaintiffs' attorneys stop short of charging fraud.
Ghandi's attorney and hospital officials declined to comment.
A spokesperson for the Indiana attorney general couldn't say if they're investigating Gandhi. At this point, there's no apparent criminal investigation.
But attorneys for former patients are so sure there are more affected parties, they're holding a town hall meeting next Monday.