Dartmouth-Hitchcock Settles Billing Allegations

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(Host) Vermont’s United States attorney says the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center is going to pay $2.2 million to settle charges it improperly billed various federal health programs.

Prosecutors say the case began in 2007 after a physician alleged that Dartmouth-Hitchcock improperly billed for services performed by resident physicians, without sufficient supervision by staff physicians.

The billings at issue were made between 2001 and 2007.

David Evancich is a Vice President at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.  

(Evancich) "There were failures in our system… to provide accurate billing. We have not acknowledged-we have not acknowledged in any way, shape or form – any kind of broad liability. But we do acknowledge that our systems could have been stronger."

(Host) Evancich says that, since becoming aware of gaps in its billing system, the medical center has strengthened its training on Medicare and Medicaid billing guidelines, and has ensured that the training is mandatory.

(Evancich) "In an academic medical center, where residents and fellows often – you know, you have new house staff coming in every year – the training and education needs to be ongoing. And, it just has to be approached with a high degree of diligence and consistency. And I think that we showed we didn’t quite have all that in place, in the past."

(Host) Evancich says Dartmouth-Hitchcock is pleased to have settled the case so it can now devote its attention and resources to the future.

 

 

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