A federal judge in New Jersey denied a motion to dismiss Aetna’s claim that the defendant medical professionals and companies engaged in fraudulent billing schemes to profit from the administration of COVID-19 rapid tests.

Aetna alleged that at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, defendants Open MRI and Vestibula began providing COVID-19 rapid tests to patients at their joint practice location at 251 Rochelle Ave. in Rochelle Park, according to the Nov. 23 opinion by U.S. District Judge Claire Cecchi of the District of New Jersey. The test administration included taking a patient’s temperature, answering screening questions, receiving a nasal swab, and being provided test results.