Cincinnati hospital to pay $108M

Associated Press

CINCINNATI

The Justice Department says a Cincinnati-area hospital has agreed to pay the federal government $108 million to settle claims that it illegally gave cardiologists financial incentives to refer heart patients to the hospital.

The agreement announced Friday stems from a lawsuit filed in 2003 by Dr. Harry Fry, who accused Christ Hospital of improperly assigning doctors time in an outpatient cardiology unit based on the number of referrals the doctors generated for the hospital.

Fry is to receive $23.5 million of the settlement as a whistle-blower.

The hospital and the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati have agreed to pay the settlement.

Hospital Chief Executive Susan Croushore says the hospital denies wrongdoing and that no unnecessary tests were performed or improper charges made.

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