Medicaid Fraud

Dallas, TX: (Dec-10-07) The State and Federal Governments brought charges against Harris Methodist Hospital in Bedford, alleging that the hospital submitted improper Medicaid and Medicare claims. Sources stated that the claims listed in the lawsuit were over orthopedic-related services between March 15, 2004, and Sept. 1, 2005. The suit was filed following a review of a physician-lease arrangement in 2005, when Texas Health Resources, the hospital's parent company, alerted the state's health and human services inspector general of a potential federal law violation. That self-disclosure prompted an investigation. The investigation, conducted by federal and state officials, revealed that a physician group that received free rental space from the hospital was referring orthopedic work covered by Medicare and Medicaid to Harris Methodist, a conflict of interest. As part of a settlement reached, Harris Methodist Hospital in Bedford agreed to a $1.9 million payout to resolve allegations. [DALLAS NEWS: MEDICAID FRAUD]