Do you think Stark has enforcement teeth?

You damn well better believe it because this week it was announced that Covenant Medical Center in Iowa has agreed to pay the U.S. government $4.5 million to settle allegations of health care fraud regarding the center's financial relationship with five doctors. The settlement resolves allegations that Covenant submitted false claims to Medicare by engaging in financial relationships with five physicians in violation of the federal law. The government alleged that Covenant violated the law by paying commercially unreasonable compensation far above fair market value to five employed physicians who referred their patients to Covenant for treatment.

"These physicians were among the highest paid hospital-employed physicians not just in Iowa, but in the entire United States," the U.S. Attorney''s Office said in the release.

For the local article on this, go to:

http://www.wcfcourier.com/