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Appeals Court Affirms Md. Doctor's Convictions

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- A federal appeals court has upheld the convictions of a Maryland cardiologist who implanted unnecessary heart stents in more than 100 patients.

A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday unanimously rejected John McLean's claim that the evidence was insufficient to convict him on six counts of health care fraud. McLean was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison after his November 2011 trial.

Prosecutors said McLean implanted stents in patients who had relatively healthy arteries and didn't need the procedure.

Medicare and other insurers were billed nearly $580,000 for the stents. McLean was ordered to pay that money back.

The surgeries were performed at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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