A former employee from All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., claims the hospital overpaid its physicians in violation of anti-kickback laws, according to a Tampa Bay Times report.
Whistleblower Barbara Schubert worked at All Children's for more than 10 years as director of operations for its physician practices. In her suit, which was filed in May and unsealed last month, Ms. Schubert claims the hospital paid physicians more than fair market value.
One pediatric surgeon was allegedly paid $600,000 when the fair market value for his experience was near $350,000, according to the report. Ms. Schubert alleges the hospital overpaid physicians by roughly $5 million in 2010.
A spokeswoman for All Children's said the hospital intends to defend itself vigorously against the allegations, and it believes the lawsuit is "factually inaccurate and flawed from a legal perspective," according to the report.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's office is currently conducting an investigation into the hospital, but state and federal officials have not disclosed whether they will join the whistleblower case, according to the report.
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Whistleblower Barbara Schubert worked at All Children's for more than 10 years as director of operations for its physician practices. In her suit, which was filed in May and unsealed last month, Ms. Schubert claims the hospital paid physicians more than fair market value.
One pediatric surgeon was allegedly paid $600,000 when the fair market value for his experience was near $350,000, according to the report. Ms. Schubert alleges the hospital overpaid physicians by roughly $5 million in 2010.
A spokeswoman for All Children's said the hospital intends to defend itself vigorously against the allegations, and it believes the lawsuit is "factually inaccurate and flawed from a legal perspective," according to the report.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's office is currently conducting an investigation into the hospital, but state and federal officials have not disclosed whether they will join the whistleblower case, according to the report.
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