CMS seeks to recoup $1.8 million from Jefferson County in Alabama related for billing mistakes that occurred more than a decade ago at Birmingham, Ala.-based Cooper Green Mercy Hospital, according to TV station WBRC.
The hospital closed inpatient care in 2012, and became Cooper Green Mercy Health Services, an outpatient health service organization.
But a recent CMS audit found that back in 2008, the hospital overbilled Medicare and Medicaid for indigent patient care, the station reported. Now the federal government has notified Jefferson County — which owns Cooper Green Mercy Health Services — to repay the $1.8 million or risk losing future money.
Jimmie Stephens, president of the Jefferson County Commission, told WBRC the hospital did not notify the county back then of the billing mistakes, but that he is optimistic about the future of Cooper Green Mercy Health Services.
In July, Jefferson County, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the UAB Health System announced they were moving forward with creating a university authority to operate the health service organization.
UAB, which will handle billing, is slated to take over the health service organization later in 2019, according to the station. Jefferson County is slated to vote on the payment to the federal government Aug. 27.
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