Ohio federal prosecutors collected a record $133 million this year from criminal and civil settlements, with a $109 million Christ Hospital settlement comprising the majority of this year's record, according to a news report by the Enquirer.
Christ Hospital and former parent company Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati agreed to pay $109 million to settle allegations that the hospital had improperly rewarded cardiologists who produced the most money by assigning those physicians time in the hospital's Heart Station. Allegedly, the improper time assignments to the Heart Station induced cardiologists to take their patients to the hospital, according to the report.
The allegations first came to light after a retired cardiologist sued the hospital in a whistleblower lawsuit in 2003. The Department of Justice later joined the lawsuit in 2008. In settling the lawsuit this year, Christ Hospital did not admit to any wrongdoing, according to the report.
Read the news report about the Christ Hospital settlement.
Read other coverage about hospital fraud:
- Justice Department Accuses Mayo Clinic of Falsely Billing Medicare
- N.C.'s Pardee Hospital's Former Health IT Official Accused of Embezzlement
- Stent Reps Disobeying Hospital Bank Linked to Questionable Implants
Christ Hospital and former parent company Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati agreed to pay $109 million to settle allegations that the hospital had improperly rewarded cardiologists who produced the most money by assigning those physicians time in the hospital's Heart Station. Allegedly, the improper time assignments to the Heart Station induced cardiologists to take their patients to the hospital, according to the report.
The allegations first came to light after a retired cardiologist sued the hospital in a whistleblower lawsuit in 2003. The Department of Justice later joined the lawsuit in 2008. In settling the lawsuit this year, Christ Hospital did not admit to any wrongdoing, according to the report.
Read the news report about the Christ Hospital settlement.
Read other coverage about hospital fraud:
- Justice Department Accuses Mayo Clinic of Falsely Billing Medicare
- N.C.'s Pardee Hospital's Former Health IT Official Accused of Embezzlement
- Stent Reps Disobeying Hospital Bank Linked to Questionable Implants