Brattleboro Memorial Hospital pays $1.65M fine for false claims
BRATTLEBORO Brattleboro Memorial Hospital paid $1,655,000 to the United States and the state of Vermont to resolve civil claims that it "knowingly" presented or caused to be presented "false claims for payment to Medicare and Medicaid."
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Vermont, from approximately January 2012 through September 2014, "BMH knowingly submitted or caused to be submitted a number of outpatient laboratory claims lacking documentation necessary to support reimbursement by Medicare and Medicaid." Doing so was a violation of the federal False Claims Act and the Vermont False Claims Act, stated a press release issued Monday afternoon.
The $1,655,000 will be divided between the federal Medicare, federal Medicaid, and Vermont Medicaid programs to which BMH submitted the alleged false claims.
"Pursuant to the settlement agreement, the settlement and payment are neither an admission of liability by BMH, nor a concession by the United States or State of Vermont that their claims are not well founded," stated the press release.
Read more: http://www.reformer.com/stories/bmh-settles-false-claims-allegation,533175