Thirty-two hospitals located throughout 15 states have agreed to pay the United States a total of more than $28 million to settle allegations that they submitted false claims to Medicare. Norwalk Hospital is the sole Connecticut hospital being fined in this latest announcement.
The Justice Department has now reached settlements with more than 130 hospitals totaling approximately $105 million to resolve allegations that they mischarged Medicare for kyphoplasty procedures. Norwalk Hospital has agreed to pay $920,000, according to a Justice Department announcement.
Kyphoplasty is a minimally-invasive procedure used to treat certain spinal fractures that often are due to osteoporosis. In many cases, the procedure can be performed safely and effectively as an outpatient procedure. The settlements announced today resolve allegations that the 32 hospitals frequently billed Medicare for kyphoplasty procedures on a more costly inpatient basis, rather than an outpatient basis, in order to increase their Medicare billings.
