Norfolk, Va.-based Sentara Healthcare agreed to pay more than $4.3 million to settle allegations that it submitted improper claims in violation of the Civil Monetary Penalties Law, according to HHS' Office of the Inspector General.
The OIG claims that Sentara submitted or caused the submission of improper claims related to observation services provided to patients discharged from the system's emergency departments.
The OIG alleges that the claims were improper because they didn't have enough support to denote medical necessity or because there was no physician order for the observation services provided.
The health system self-disclosed the conduct to the OIG.