An investigation into fraud allegations against former interim Broward Health CEO Pauline Grant found she "ran afoul" of federal anti-kickback laws when awarding emergency room contracts to orthopedic physicians. Investigators found she did not receive direct payments for her actions, however, reports Politico.
In a letter to HHS' Office of the Inspector General, independent investigator Richard Westling said the manner in which Ms. Grant assigned contracts to orthopedic physicians seeking participation in Broward Health's on-call emergency room rotation "ran afoul of the Anti-Kickback Statute," according to the article.
The board of directors for Broward Health in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., voted 4-1 Dec. 1 to fire Ms. Grant over alleged fraudulent behaviors.
"While we did not find any evidence that Ms. Grant received any direct payments from anyone in connection with the call service, she was eligible for a bonus if Broward Health North hit certain financial targets," Mr. Westling wrote.
Anti-kickback laws prohibit the exchange of anything of value for Medicare or Medicaid patient referrals.
Rocky Rodriguez, chairman of the North Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners, said in a statement, "This has been a challenging time and there are more challenges ahead. We ask for the support of the community so together we can make Broward Health all it can be."
Politico could not reach Ms. Grant for comment, although she has maintained her innocence since she was fired.