Hospitals in seven states are involved in a string of settlements arising from a whistleblower’s allegations that Medicare reimbursements were made for psychiatric services that were not “medically reasonable or necessary” in instances from 2005 until 2013.
Community Health Systems of Franklin, Tennessee, is paying $15.2 million for 15 hospitals, one in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and others that formerly belonged to Health Management Associates, which Community took over.
Other Community Health Systems institutions involved include:
- In Mississippi, Merit Health Central in Jackson, Merit Health Rankin in Brandon, Merit Health Natchez - Community Campus, Merit Health Northwest Mississippi in Clarksdale and Merit Health Gilmore Memorial in Amory.
- In Arkansas, Sparks Medical Center - Van Buren; the now-closed Southwest Regional Medical Center in Little Rock.
- In Florida, Lehigh Regional Medical Center in Lehigh Acres; Santa Rosa Medical Center in Milton.
- In Georgia, East Georgia Regional Medical Center in Statesboro.
- In North Carolina, Davis Regional Medical Center in Statesville; Lake Norman Regional Medical Center in Mooresville.
- In Oklahoma, Medical Center of Southeastern Oklahoma in Durant.
- In Texas, Dallas Regional Medical Center in Mesquite (which Community Health Systems divested in 2014).
Also involved in the settlements:
- Publicly owned North Texas Medical Center in Gainesville, Texas is paying $480,000.
-LifePoint Hospitals, which owns Minden Medical Center in Louisiana and Bolivar Medical Center in Cleveland, Mississippi, settled similar allegations in October 2013, agreeing to pay $4.67 million.
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