Forum overbills Medicare nearly $3M

YOUNGSTOWN

Forum Health will reimburse the U.S. government $2,862,484 for inadvertently overbilling Medicare.

In a settlement agreement negotiated with the U.S. Attorney’s office and the Department of Health and Human Services, Forum agreed that its Western Reserve Care System (Northside Medical Center in Youngstown) and Trumbull Memorial Hospital in Warren will pay $2,103,821 and $758,663 respectively.

Forum Health, recently purchased by Community Health Systems for $120 million, was a nonprofit corporation that operated NMC, TMH and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital in Howland.

The sale of Forum Health, approved by the bankruptcy court, is in the process of being finalized.

Forum Health filed March 16, 2009, for protection under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

For the complete story, read Thursday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.