Posted on 01/27/2017 6:44:07 PM PST by Brad from Tennessee
California officials have fined health care giant Kaiser Permanente $2.5 million for failing to turn over required data on patient care to the state’s Medicaid program.
The California Department of Health Care Services said this was the first fine imposed against one of its Medicaid managed care plans since at least 2000. The state relies on the data to help set rates, ensure adequate care is available and monitor how taxpayer dollars are being spent in the program, known as Medi-Cal in California.
Jennifer Kent, the department’s director, notified Kaiser of the sanctions in a Jan. 13 letter that was obtained by California Healthline.
“This is the first time the department has sanctioned a health plan in recent history. The amount is significant,” said Sarah Brooks, deputy director of health care delivery systems at the Department of Health Care Services. “We do take it very seriously.”
Kaiser isn’t appealing the sanctions and the health plan said it’s “working toward compliance.” The company said the sanctions were in no way related to the quality of patient care or access to treatment. (Kaiser Health News, which produces California Healthline, is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.)
Brooks said her agency is in ongoing discussions with Kaiser and additional fines could be imposed depending on the company’s actions and whether Kaiser’s violations put the agency out of compliance with federal rules. That could force the state to repay money to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which funds the Medi-Cal program jointly with the state.
The reporting lapses are unusual since Kaiser pioneered use of electronic medical records and health data collection. But the company indicated in a statement that being an integrated health system that operates a health plan, its own hospitals and medical groups complicated matters. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at californiahealthline.org ...
Chrome Dome Moonbeam working on the two billion dollar Medi-Cal budget gap one Company at a time.
That’s like you or I taking a nickel out of our pocket. Do you realize how big that company is?
Yeah, gotta keep track of those unregistered Democrat voters...
FRaud?
A socialist state stealing from a socialist company that stole from the socialist state.
The reporting lapses are unusual since Kaiser pioneered use of electronic medical records and health data collection. But the company indicated in a statement that being an integrated health system that operates a health plan, its own hospitals and medical groups complicated matters. . .
...
Yep. This story seems very unusual. I bet there is a lot more to it that isn’t being told.
We are The State - you will bend the knee to our whims!
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