Halifax to Institute Internal Monitoring as Part of $85M Settlement

Florida-based Halifax Health will undertake substantial internal compliance reform and have its federal healthcare program claims independently reviewed for the next five years as part of the settlement of a whistle-blower lawsuit filed pursuant to the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, according to a Department of Justice report.

As part of the settlement, Halifax will hire two compliance officials who will file regular reports with HHS as part of an out-of-court agreement that allows the hospital to avoid being banned from the Medicare program.

 "Patients deserve to know that recommendations are based on sound medical practice, not illegal financial relationships between providers," said HHS' Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson. "Halifax now also is required to hire a legal reviewer to monitor provider arrangements and an additional compliance expert to assist the board in fulfilling its oversight obligations. Both of these independent reviewers will submit regular reports to my agency."

The inspector general's office agreed not to pursue actions to exclude the publicly supported hospital from Medicare as long as the requirements in the corporate-integrity agreement are honored.

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