St. Peter’s Health in Helena, Montana has recently settled a multi-year case with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding violations of the False Claims Act in the oncology department from 2015 to 2020. The hospital voluntarily disclosed the misconduct, leading them to pay nearly $11 million as part of the settlement. U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich confirmed that $10.844 million will go towards resolving the allegations, with $9.98 million allocated for restitution to federal programs.
Dr. Thomas Weiner, accused of up-coding and upcharging patients through Medicare and Medicaid, has been let go by the hospital. CEO Wade Johnson expressed his disappointment over the situation but praised the staff for their cooperation and integrity throughout the process. St. Peter’s Health has updated its reporting processes and added pre-auditing and expanded supervision procedures to prevent future issues.
The settlement does not reflect the hospital’s standard of care or its current leadership, according to U.S. Attorney Laslovich. The hospital, which must pay the restitution within 30 days, plans to use reserves to cover the payment. The civil case filed against Dr. Weiner for False Claims Act violations is ongoing, with associated parties refraining from commenting due to active litigation. NonStop Local will continue to provide updates on the case as it progresses.
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