Austin, Texas – Austin Emergency Center, along with affiliated entities including Austin ER, AEC ER 4, Pahala Ventures, AEC Physicians, and AEC Pflugerville, has agreed to pay $429,231 to settle claims of violating the False Claims Act. The agreement addresses concerns that the group improperly charged the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) for COVID-19 related services at rates higher than those billed to cash-paying patients.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, between June 18, 2020, and April 2, 2021, Austin Emergency Center allegedly submitted inflated reimbursement claims for COVID-19 testing, charging the FEHBP more than individuals who paid out-of-pocket for the same services. In addition, from April 13, 2020, through April 2, 2021, the group is accused of up-coding drive-through COVID-19 evaluations—billing for more complex and expensive services than were actually provided.
Federal Officials Condemn Profit-Driven Exploitation During Pandemic…