In a significant move towards combating healthcare fraud, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has ushered the state into a collective agreement with other states and the federal government. This agreement arrives at a $19.85 million settlement with Acadia Healthcare Company over allegations of false claims submitted to government healthcare programs. According to a press release by the Michigan Department of Attorney General, the falsely claimed funds were primarily billed to Medicare and Medicaid.
Acadia, a Delaware corporation with its base of operations in Franklin, Tennessee, will pay back the substantial sum along with interest. Among the states involved, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, and Nevada will benefit, with their Medicaid programs receiving more than $6 million. "When these systems are exploited, my Department will work with the federal government and other attorneys general to protect taxpayers and the integrity of these health care programs,” Nessel stated, as per the Michigan Department of Attorney General.
The allegations center on various infractions by multiple Acadia-operated facilities, including the admittance of ineligible patients and the failure to discharge those no longer needing inpatient care. Furthermore, Michigan's own Harbor Oaks Hospital in New Baltimore is amongst those implicated, over allegations spanning from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2017. Other facilities engulfed in this maelstrom of misconduct include Park Royal Hospital in Florida, Lakeview Behavioral Health in Georgia, and Seven Hills Hospital in Nevada, each grappling with their share of the allegations, such as inadequate staffing and subpar patient care leading to severe outcomes.
