February 17, 11

NEWS / Physician Agrees to Permanently Surrender His License to Board within the Division of Consumer Affai

NEWARK – A physician who practiced in West New York and Paramus has agreed to permanently surrender his medical license and to pay restitution to patients’ insurance companies, as well as pay civil penalties and reimbursement for investigative and legal costs to the state.

Dr. Rey N. Bello, 53, voluntarily surrendered his license rather than stand for a disciplinary hearing before the Board of Medical Examiners. His permanent license surrender, deemed a revocation by the Board, took effect on January 31.

An administrative Complaint filed with the Board last October alleged that Bello performed unnecessary electrodiagnostic testing, committed incompetent performance and interpretation of such testing, billed for testing not performed, referred patients to his self-owned surgical facilities for invasive procedures without disclosure, made false statements to the Board, and failed to maintain required continued medical education.

“The Board acted to protect the public and this settlement achieves that result,” Attorney General Paula T. Dow said. “In his attempts to enrich himself, Bello broke the trust of his patients and violated professional standards of conduct.”

Bello is required to pay $8,138.17 in restitution to insurance companies, plus $10,000 in civil penalties and $19,327 in cost reimbursements to the state, under terms of the settlement.

“Greed drove this physician, and ultimately it cost him his profession,” said Thomas R. Calcagni, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “Licensees who attempt to commit fraud would be wise to heed the lesson from this case and weigh the potential consequences.”

Senior Deputy Attorney General Joan D. Gelber represented the State in this matter.

http://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases11/pr20110217a.html