UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton (Mass.) Hospital will pay $2.3 million to HHS after a two-year investigation into Medicare overpayments at the facility, according to telegram.com.
Overpayments of $1.5 million took place prior to the Clinton Hospital's 2017 merger with Worcester, Mass.-based UMass Memorial Health Care, and UMass voluntarily reported the payment irregularities after discovering them during merger talks.
The overpayments occurred for patients admitted to the hospital's geriatric medicine psychiatry unit. As part of the settlement, the hospital will pay back the $1.5 million along with an $800,000 fine.
"At no time was patient safety or provider services impacted," said Christopher Hendry, a spokesperson for the hospital. "All services provided were appropriate. The findings were a result of an audit undertaken prior to the merger of our Clinton Hospital with UMass Memorial HealthAlliance Hospital. Upon learning of the overpayment, senior management acted swiftly to develop and implement a corrective action plan."