Independent Health has agreed to pay up to $98 million to resolve allegations that it knowingly submitted invalid diagnosis codes in order to receive increased payments from Medicare. Independent Health will pay a minimum of $34.

Independent Health has agreed to a $34.5 million settlement that could rise to $98 million with the U.S. Department of Justice on a decade-old case.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says the company allegedly violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting, or causing the submission, of invalid diagnosis codes to Medicare. That then impacted Medicare Advantage Plus customers by increasing their payments.

Independent Health Association of Buffalo, which operates two Medicare Advantage plans, will pay up to $98 million. Betsy Gaffney, CEO of medical records review company DxID, will

The insurer examined patient records to find money-making diagnoses and pressured doctors to sign off on them, according to the government's suit.