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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 1:33 p.m., Tuesday, May 28, 2002

Wilcox hospital settles overbilling allegations

Advertiser Staff

Wilcox Memorial Hospital has paid more than $1.5 million to settle allegations it overbilled federal health care programs, the U.S. Attorney's office announced today.

Edward H. Kubo Jr., who heads the U.S. Attorney's Office in Hawai'i, said the settlement was finalized Friday.

The federal government alleged the hospital made claims for payment from 1995 through 1998 that were not supported by patients' medical records. The claims were sent to Medicare as well as Tricar, a health care program for military dependents.

These claims were for inpatient hospital services Wilcox provided to patients suffering from pneumonia and other conditions, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's office.

Wilcox officials denied the allegations, which resulted from a two-year investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the FBI, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The probe began as part of a nationwide initiative focusing on claims submitted by hospitals that concerned pneumonia patients. However, the investigation was broadened at Wilcox to include nine other categories of claims.

More details to come.