The Justice Department is joining two lawsuits against Florida cardiologist Dr. Asad Qamar, who is alleged to have performed and billed for many unnecessary medical procedures, according to the Dow Jones News Service. He is among the highest-billing doctors in the Medicare program.
The lawsuits allege that Qamar also illegally waived co-payments in order to win the confidence of his patients.
Medicare payment data released last April showed that Qamar collected $18 million from the government program in 2012. That would make him second among all doctors in the country.
Read More Sicker seniors: US lags on elder health vs. other nations
The Justice Department filed the civil case in a Florida federal court. It's part of a larger effort to crack down on target doctors who abuse both Medicare and Medicaid programs.
One suit was filed by an unnamed whistleblower and the other by Holly Taylor, who worked for Qamar and his practice in 2010.
Neither Qamar nor Taylor could be reached for comment by the Dow Jones News Service.