Healthcare Risk Management – March 1, 2014

March 1, 2014

• HMA lawsuits, indictment highlight whistleblower risk

  The eight False Claims Act lawsuits being pursued against Health Management Associates (HMA) illustrate the risk that hospital executives take when they aggressively seek increased revenue without adequately assessing the potential for fraud charges, say healthcare fraud experts who are watching the case closely.

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• HMA accused of scheme to increase admissions

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• HMA execs claim kickbacks to physicians

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• ‘Copy-and-paste’ fraud targeted by CMS and OIG

  Though useful, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) is warning that copy and paste can lead to fraudulent billing, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is vowing to pursue any providers who abuse the feature.

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• OIG report says EHRs ripe for fraud

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• No need to disable ctrl-c/ctrl-v in EHRs

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• Hospitals struggle to resolve brain-death issue with families

  Hospitals in two states recently were in the difficult position of having to disagree with a family about terminating life support for patients declared dead.

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• Two struggles with brain death: One to keep support, one to let the patient go

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• OSHA offers new resource for worker safety

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• Record number of fraud cases in past year

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• HHS releases guides for health IT safety

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• HRM LRC: Botched genetic testing yields massive verdict of $50 million

  A young child was diagnosed with an unbalanced chromosomal translocation, a chromosomal abnormality resulting in the need for 24-hour care throughout his life.

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• HRM LRC: Negligent prescription results in fatality and verdict of $2.25 million

  A young woman died from fatally low oxygen levels after being prescribed a narcotic pain relief patch after treatment for pancreatitis.

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