Some patients who were treated at Orlando Regional Medical Center could soon see new charges for services they got years ago.
Channel 9's Kathi Belich spoke to Orlando Health about mistakes it made billing Medicare.
Orlando Health admits patients may be on the hook for it, but it is disputing a government audit and says it owes less than half of the $1.5 million the audit claims it owes Medicare.
But that’s just one more worry for patients struggling to make ends meet.
Calvin and Pat Richardson, of Winter Garden, care for and help support older siblings, who are on Medicare and already struggling.
Now comes the possibility of facing new, unexpected bills for treatment they paid for years ago.
“It's going to be more anxiety on the people, worrying about whether they will be billed more,” said Pat Richardson.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services inspector general audited 218 claims submitted to Medicare by Orlando Health in the 18 months between January 2011 and June 2012.
The audit found overbilling in 75 of the 218 claims and, from that, calculated that Orlando Health overbilled Medicare by almost $1.5 million in that time frame.
Orlando Health said in a written statement that 2010 health reform concerning inpatient and outpatient status resulted in "frequently changing and sometimes confusing Medicare definitions of 2011 and 2012.”
Orlando Health said hundreds of other hospitals are in the same boat for the same reason.
Hospitals get higher-percentage reimbursements from Medicare for in-patient claims, so now those hospitals could come after patients for extra charges on medical bills they thought were settled years ago.
“It's not right, it's not right, not after three years to be going through this,” said Calvin Richardson.
Patients could find out in about a month how all of this is going to be resolved.
Orlando Health said it would work with any patients who might be adversely impacted.
Channel 9's Kathi Belich spoke to Orlando Health about mistakes it made billing Medicare.
Orlando Health admits patients may be on the hook for it, but it is disputing a government audit and says it owes less than half of the $1.5 million the audit claims it owes Medicare.
But that’s just one more worry for patients struggling to make ends meet.
Calvin and Pat Richardson, of Winter Garden, care for and help support older siblings, who are on Medicare and already struggling.
Now comes the possibility of facing new, unexpected bills for treatment they paid for years ago.
“It's going to be more anxiety on the people, worrying about whether they will be billed more,” said Pat Richardson.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services inspector general audited 218 claims submitted to Medicare by Orlando Health in the 18 months between January 2011 and June 2012.
The audit found overbilling in 75 of the 218 claims and, from that, calculated that Orlando Health overbilled Medicare by almost $1.5 million in that time frame.
Orlando Health said in a written statement that 2010 health reform concerning inpatient and outpatient status resulted in "frequently changing and sometimes confusing Medicare definitions of 2011 and 2012.”
Orlando Health said hundreds of other hospitals are in the same boat for the same reason.
Hospitals get higher-percentage reimbursements from Medicare for in-patient claims, so now those hospitals could come after patients for extra charges on medical bills they thought were settled years ago.
“It's not right, it's not right, not after three years to be going through this,” said Calvin Richardson.
Patients could find out in about a month how all of this is going to be resolved.
Orlando Health said it would work with any patients who might be adversely impacted.
WFTV
