CMS has fined four more hospitals for alleged price transparency violations, according to a Sept. 1 update to its price transparency enforcement website.
The four hospitals were fined between Aug. 22 and 23, according to the website:
- Jacksonville, Fla.-based UF Health North was fined $979,000.
- Lares, Puerto Rico-based Hospital General Castaner was fined $101,400.
- Dunn, N.C.-based Betsy Johnson Hospital was fined $99,540.
- Samaritan Hospital-Albany (N.Y.) Memorial Campus was fined $56,940.
The hospitals have 30 days from the issuance date to appeal the fines.
UF Health's fine is the largest levied to date by CMS for price transparency violations, surpassing Atlanta-based Northside Hospital, which was fined $883,180.
CMS also fined three hospitals in July. It is the first time CMS has fined hospitals in back-to-back months. Two of those hospitals, Salem, Ark.-based Fulton County Hospital and Chicago-based Community First Medical Center, are appealing those fines; those fines are under review. Wichita Falls, Texas-based Kell West Medical Center, which was issued a fine in April, is also appealing its punishment. That fine is also under review.
To date, 11 hospitals have been fined for price transparency violations.