Providence Health & Services Washington has agreed to pay about $22.7 million to settle allegations it fraudulently billed Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs for medically unnecessary neurosurgery procedures, Healthcare Dive reports, citing the Justice Department.
In the settlement, the hospital system admitted medical personnel reported concerns that two neurosurgeons employed at Providence St. Mary’s Medical Center in Walla Walla, Washington, performed procedures on candidates who were not appropriate for surgery, endangered patients’ safety and caused excessive levels of complications and negative outcomes.
Providence has entered into a corporate integrity agreement with the HHS Office of Inspector General that requires the provider to retain outside experts to perform annual claims and clinical quality systems reviews. Providence must implement several patient quality-of-care and safety procedures as part of the settlement. Read more.
