April 30, 2019

The former CEO of hospital chain Health Management Associates LLC, Gary D. Newsome, has agreed to pay $3.46 million to resolve claims in a whistleblower lawsuit that he personally caused HMA to submit false claims to federal healthcare programs in violation of the False Claims Act.  Newsome was alleged to have caused HMA to pressure emergency department physicians to increase inpatient admissions without regard to medical necessity, so that the hospital chain could bill for more costly inpatient services.  In addition, Newsome was alleged to have caused HMA to make bonus payments to emergency department physicians, and contract concessions to the company, EmCare, that provided emergency department physician staffing, to increase inpatient admissions.  Newsome was the CEO from 2008 through 2013, prior to HMA’s acquisition by Community Health Systems Inc.  HMA settled related claims in September 2018, and EmCare settled related claims in December 2017.  Two whistleblowers, Jacqueline Meyer, a former employee of EmCare, and J. Michael Cowling, a former employee of HMA, will receive approximately $725,000 from this settlement.  DOJ

Tagged in: Anti-Kickback and Stark, Defendants, FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Hospital Fraud, Lack of Medical Necessity, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,