The following hospitals, health systems and healthcare providers entered into settlement agreements to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act since Feb. 1.
1. 51 hospitals pay $23M for alleged overuse of cardiac devices
The Department of Justice inked a deal for more than $23 million with 51 hospitals across the nation — including Cleveland Clinic and San Francisco-based Dignity Health hospitals — to settle False Claims Act allegations related to the implantation of cardiac devices in Medicare patients.
2. Adventist Health System to pay $2M for allegedly giving leftover chemo to patients
Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based Adventist Health System Sunbelt Healthcare agreed to pay the federal government $2.09 million to resolve allegations that patients at one of its hospitals were administered leftover portions of single-dose vials of chemotherapy drugs. Adventist self-disclosed some of the improper acts to the federal government, and a former Adventist employee brought the remaining allegations in a whistle-blower lawsuit filed under the False Claims Act.
3. NJ physician accused of submitting false claims settles for $5.25M
A Westfield, N.J.-based physician, Labib E. Riachi, MD, agreed to pay the federal government $5.25 million to resolve allegations that he and two of his companies fraudulently billed federal healthcare programs for tests that were never provided.
4. Pfizer's Wyeth unit to pay $784.6M to settle False Claims Act violations
Pfizer's Wyeth unit agreed to pay a $784.6 million settlement for cases related to the calculation of Medicaid rebates for a gastric drug sold between 2001 and 2006.
5. Vermont physician pays $500k to settle false claims allegations
Gamal H. Eltabbakh, MD, of Lake Champlain Gynecologic Oncology in Burlington, Vt., paid the federal government and the state of Vermont $500,000 to resolve allegations that he submitted false claims to Medicare and Medicaid.
6. 4 physicians, 2 pharmacies allegedly bilked $10M from military's healthcare program
Four physicians and two compounding pharmacies agreed to pay the federal government a total of approximately $10 million to resolve allegations they submitted false claims to TRICARE.
7. Rose Radiology settles false claims allegations for $8.7M
Rose Radiology Centers in Tampa, Fla., agreed to pay the federal government $8.71 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act.
8. Norwalk Hospital to pay nearly $920k to settle false claims allegations
Norwalk Hospital in Fairfield County, Conn., agreed to pay the federal government $920,000 to settle accusations that it falsely billed Medicare while treating patients for osteoporosis.
9. Memorial University Medical Center reaches $9.89M false billing settlement
Memorial Health University Medical Center and its affiliates in Savannah, Ga., agreed to pay more than $9.89 million to settle unlawful referral allegations brought under the whistle-blower provision of the False Claims Act.
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