On Medicare Fraud --- According to a Government Report [A California Hospital] overbills $424 Million to Medicare
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[1] The inspector general found that [Hospital] submitted a diagnosis code for a genetic disorder characterized by abnormal brain function in a patient whose records only discussed a fever and a cough.
[2] Another patient was reported to have prostate cancer when medical records discussed a shoulder suture removal.
[3] For a third patient, [Hospital] submitted a diagnosis code for “unspecified septicemia,” a lethal infection of the bloodstream, when medical records discussed a knee surgery and did not mention a bloodstream infection, the report says.
STRICT ACTION ON MEDICARE FRAUD?
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A Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services representative said the agency, which administers the Medicare program, is aware of the report and is willing to work on the matter with [Hospital].
NO CRIMINAL ACTION ANNOUNCED against the Hospital.
BTW, average jail time is many years when a physician is accused of negligent over billing of a few hundred dollars even when a billing mistake is done by an employee.....
NOTE;for my readers, Medicare pays about 40% or more to hospital for the same services as provided by physician practitioners. That is because of a law passed by the Congress.
About Repeated Acts of Negligence
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[Hospital] disputed the inspector general’s findings, saying the review of 100 cases could not be generalized to hundreds of other claims.
NOTE;It is customary for the Medical Board of California to revoke a physician's licenses for two or more MINOR repeated acts of Negligence.
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............QUIZ ..........
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Is the Medical Board of California empowered to take actions against Dishonest and undesirable Medical Providers? ..................
[ or ]
Is the Medical Board of California empowered only to take Disciplinary Actions against Physicians of California?
Protection of Public or Violation of Rights? Really....
http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/report-estimates-health-plan-overbilled-medicare-424m-18752
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