The East Hawaii Region of Honolulu-based Hawaii Health Systems Corp. is addressing a billing error in which dozens of patients received incorrect statements, according to a Hawaii Tribune-Herald report.
In an online statement, hospital officials said HHSC's East Hawaii Region and third-party billing vendor Healthcare Resource Group found patients were sent incorrect medical bills in September. Officials believe most affected patients were patients of Hilo (Hawaii) Medical Center, although they said there were also affected patients at either Pahala, Hawaii-based Ka'u Hospital or the Hale Ho'ola Hamakua facility in Honokaa, Hawaii. Overall, nearly 200 East Hawaii patients were affected, according to the report.
"We take integrity of our billing seriously and are working hard to identify all incorrect bills and contact the patients to whom they were sent," the hospitals said.
They added, "We apologize for the inconvenience to these patients and wish to reassure everyone in East Hawaii that we will make sure that the problem is corrected as quickly as possible."
Hawaii Tribune-Herald was unable to reach Healthcare Resource Group for comment.
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