SC hospital wants false claims verdict overturned

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina hospital wants a federal judge to overturn a false Medicare claims verdict.

The Item of Sumter reports (http://bit.ly/1bcBO03 ) that Tuomey Healthcare System this week asked U.S. District Judge Margaret Seymour to consider granting a new trial.

Last month, a federal jury found that Tuomey signed doctors to lucrative, part-time contracts to ensure that they would get referral fees associated with those physicians’ procedures — an illegal kickback under Medicare law.

Prosecutors said Tuomey collected $39 million in fraudulent Medicare claims between 2005 and 2009 based on those doctors’ procedures. Tuomey’s lawyers argued the contracts were legal and were part of the hospital’s effort to serve a medically underserved community.

The federal government is seeking more than $237 million in damages. Tuomey says that amount is unconstitutional.

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Information from: The Item, http://www.theitem.com