University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson failed a Medicare inspection after the University of Maryland Medical System acquired it late last year, and the hospital is likely losing millions in Medicare payments as a result, according to a Baltimore Sun report.
UMMS purchased St. Joseph this past November from Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiatives. Since Dec. 1, the 320-bed hospital has not received any Medicare reimbursements after failing a CMS inspection, according to the report. It was not disclosed why St. Joseph failed that inspection, and this month, CMS completed a follow-up inspection, with results still pending.
After UMMS acquired St. Joseph, the system applied for a new Medicare provider agreement, but the botched inspection has complicated the process, according to the report. St. Joseph CEO Mohan Suntha, MD, told the Baltimore Sun the hospital will continue to take care of Medicare patients as normal and that the hospital is still pursuing the new Medicare provider agreement. However, the hospital is not expected to receive any retroactive payments from CMS, as Medicare law prohibits reimbursement to facilities that do not have certification, according to the report.
Turmoil has lingered around St. Joseph the past several years. Before CHI sold St. Joseph to UMMS, the hospital was defined by Mark Midei, MD, a former cardiologist who allegedly implanted hundreds of unnecessary stents into patients while at the hospital. Several lawsuits later, Mr. Midei no longer works at the hospital and has lost his medical license.
UMMS purchased St. Joseph this past November from Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiatives. Since Dec. 1, the 320-bed hospital has not received any Medicare reimbursements after failing a CMS inspection, according to the report. It was not disclosed why St. Joseph failed that inspection, and this month, CMS completed a follow-up inspection, with results still pending.
After UMMS acquired St. Joseph, the system applied for a new Medicare provider agreement, but the botched inspection has complicated the process, according to the report. St. Joseph CEO Mohan Suntha, MD, told the Baltimore Sun the hospital will continue to take care of Medicare patients as normal and that the hospital is still pursuing the new Medicare provider agreement. However, the hospital is not expected to receive any retroactive payments from CMS, as Medicare law prohibits reimbursement to facilities that do not have certification, according to the report.
Turmoil has lingered around St. Joseph the past several years. Before CHI sold St. Joseph to UMMS, the hospital was defined by Mark Midei, MD, a former cardiologist who allegedly implanted hundreds of unnecessary stents into patients while at the hospital. Several lawsuits later, Mr. Midei no longer works at the hospital and has lost his medical license.
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