Baltimore-based St. Agnes Healthcare agreed to a $122,928 settlement to resolve allegations it overbilled Medicare for evaluation and management services, according to the Department of Justice.
The federal government accused St. Agnes of submitting false claims to Medicare following its June 2011 acquisition of a cardiology practice. The 12 cardiologists with the practice were previously MidAtlantic Cardiovascular Associates members but became employees of St. Agnes following the acquisition, according to the DOJ. The cardiologists continued to care for their patients through St. Agnes-affiliate Maryland Cardiovascular Specialists.
But the DOJ alleges the cardiologists wrongly submitted Medicare claims using new patient E&M codes instead of existing patient E&M codes for services rendered from June 3, 2011 through June 3, 2014.
The allegations were initially brought by Jonathan Safren, MD, a former St. Agnes cardiologist under the qui tam provision of the False Claims Act. Dr. Safren will receive $20,000 from the settlement, according to the DOJ.
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