Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
One Of Nation’s Largest Dialysis Providers Agrees To $270M Settlement Over Medicare Advantage Fraud
Denver Post: Denver-Based DaVita Reaches $270 Million Settlement With U.S. Department Of Justice
A subsidiary of Denver-based DaVita Inc. will pay $270 million to settle allegations it reported inaccurate information about medical patients’ conditions to the government, leading to higher Medicare reimbursements to insurers — of which the company received a share. The agreement, announced Monday by the U.S. Department of Justice, is the latest in a string of settlements with the government under which DaVita, a dialysis provider, has paid out hundreds of millions of dollars to resolve cases ranging from improper billing to anti-kickback probes. (Seaman, 10/1)
Kaiser Health News: Feds Settle Huge Whistleblower Suit Over Medicare Advantage Fraud
The settlement by HealthCare Partners Holdings LLC, part of giant dialysis company DaVita Inc., is believed to be the largest to date involving allegations that some Medicare Advantage plans exaggerate how sick their patients are to inflate government payments. DaVita, which is headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., did not admit fault. “This settlement demonstrates our tireless commitment to rooting out fraud that drains too many taxpayer dollars from public health programs like Medicare,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna in announcing the settlement Monday. (Schulte, 10/1)
The Associated Press: Health Company To Pay $270M Over Improper Billing Practices
A health care company has agreed to pay $270 million to resolve allegations it provided inaccurate information to Medicare, federal prosecutors said Monday. DaVita Medical Holdings admitted to practices that caused incorrect diagnosis codes to be submitted in order to obtain inflated payments, according to the U.S. Justice Department. (10/1)
Meanwhile —
The Associated Press: Medicare Upgrades Its Website Ahead Of Sign-Up Season
Approaching annual sign-up season, Medicare is modernizing its website to make it more useful for beneficiaries already accustomed to searching online for insurers, hospitals and doctors, officials announced on Monday. But some consumer advocates said the changes reflect a subtle bias toward private plans on the part of the Trump administration. (10/1)
