Tenet puts racketeering charges and alleged Medicare fraud behind them
Tenet Healthcare received good news last week, when U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Seitz granted Tenet's request for Summary Judgment and dismissed a Racketeering case. The case was that of Boca Raton Hospital v. Tenet Healthcare, 05cv80183, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida (Miami). According to Bloomberg News, Judge Seitz is quoted in her ruling as saying " Tenet escapes Boca's grasp not because its conduct is blameless but only because Boca is not the proper entity, and RICO is not the proper legal vehicle, to redress the harm Boca targets". The Boca Community Hospital brought charges against Tener under the U.S. Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act . Judge Seitz said the charges were insufficient as a matter of law to prevail against Tenet.
Governor Charlie Crist, in 2005, as Florida's Attorney General, was involved in one of two lawsuits against Tenet with 13 hospital plaintiffs. According to the complaint, Tenet was accused of racketeering that artificially inflated its prices. Allegedly the scheme, took in more than $1 billion. According to the Business Journal, Florida was the only state, at that time to file that type of charge against Tenet. However, other states and federal agencies have investigated the company for alleged over-billing. In 2006, Attorney General Crist resolved his case against Tenet with a $ 7 million settlement, resolving allegations that the company falsely inflated its hospitals' charges from 2000 to 2003 to obtain reimbursements from a Medicare fund. Unfortunate for Boca Raton Community Hospital, they could not have been a part of the group of Plaintiff's Charlie Crist represented
It is also important to mention that in June 2006, Tenet settled its Medicare fraud disputes with the federal government for $900 million, including funds that Tenet returned for overbilling.
In an effort to clean up its reputation, Tenet has taken a lot of progressive steps. They have installed a new management team, appointed former Florida Governor Jeb Bush to the Tenet Board and implemented stringent corporate governance and compliance policies.
Hopefully with these measures in place, Tenet Healthcare Corporation, one of the nation's largest health care providers can focus on saving lives and providing the best possible healthcare to patients. The Tenet Stock closed at $4.86 per share on Friday, but ended at $4.98 in after hours trading.
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