Newark, Del.-based ChristianaCare has paid $42.5 million to resolve allegations of healthcare fraud under the federal False Claims Act and Delaware False Claims and Reporting Act.
In 2017, ChristianaCare's former chief compliance officer claimed the company illegally paid non-employee surgeons in the form of ancillary support providers to inpatients at Christiana Care hospitals, according to a Jan. 4 news release from the Justice Department.
The ancillary providers looked for the surgeons to refer their patients to ChristianaCare hospitals, creating a financial relationship between ChristianaCare and non-employee providers. Based on the complaint, the company's claims to Medicare and Medicaid for care provided referred patients violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law, the release said.
The claims resolved in the settlement are allegations and there was no determination of liability.
ChristianaCare has three hospitals and additional healthcare facilities in Northern Delaware and the surrounding area.