University Of Pennsylvania Health System To Pay Nearly $850K For Improper Billing​

The University of Pennsylvania Health System has agreed to settle for improperly billing patients for a specific procedure between 2008 and 2012, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney's Office said Thursday.

As a result of violating the False Claims Act, UPHS will pay $845,000 to settle the improper billing matter, according to the attorney's office

The issue came up as UPHS improperly billed Medicare for stent procedures two interventional cardiologists performed at Pennsylvania Hospital between 2008 and 2012, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

UPHS voluntarily disclosed the allegations to the U.S. Attorney's Office and the cardiologists no longer work at the hospital.

Authorities launched an investigation based on UPHS' voluntary disclosure. Investigators determined the cardiologist billed Medicare for procedures not deemed medically necessary, the attorney's office said. This led to UPHS being over paid for the services rendered.

The attorney's office said UPHS cooperated with authorities during the investigation and has since implemented a new quality assurance plan in the cardiac catheterization lab as well as offered free consultations for potentially affected patients.

Image via Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division