Cook County Physician Overpaid $80k While on Leave; System Claims Clerical Error

The Better Government Association has discovered that a physician formerly of Chicago’s Cook County Health and Hospital System was improperly paid nearly $80,000 while on unpaid leave, prompting an investigation by county officials, according to a Chicago Sun-Times report.

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James Kapotas, MD, an orthopedic surgeon who now works at Central Indiana Orthopedics, was overpaid nearly $80,000 over a four-month span while he was on unpaid leave of absence starting in April. By that time, Dr. Kapotas had been working for Cook County Health for 12 years and was paid a rate of $216 an hour. Cook County Health officials and Dr. Kapotas both argued the overpayments were a clerical mistake, according to the report.

Dr. Kapotas has since repaid the overpaid amount and resigned from his post at the health system. The news report did not disclose how exactly BGA learned of the overpayment.

As a result of the discovery, county officials said it would conduct an internal review to see whether other improper payments have been made to other employees or if Dr. Kapotas’ overpayment was a one-time incident. Dr. Kapotas is not being accused of any wrongdoing, according to the report.

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