Centra Health Inc. and Blue Ridge Ear, Nose, Throat, and Plastic Surgery, Inc. Agree to Pay Nearly $10 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

Lynchburg, VIRGINIA - Centra Health Inc. and Blue Ridge Ear, Nose, Throat and Plastic Surgery, Inc. have agreed to pay the government $9,345,845 to settle claims alleging they violated the False Claims Act and the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act by engaging in improper financial relationships. Centra and its affiliates are nonprofit corporations operating hospital facilities in the Lynchburg-area including Southside Community Hospital, Virginia Baptist Hospital, and Lynchburg General Hospital. Blue Ridge ENT is a physician practice group in Lynchburg that refers patients to Centra's hospital system. The settlement involved financial relationships Centra and its affiliates had with several referring physicians and groups including Blue Ridge ENT in violation of the Stark Law, the Anti-Kickback Law, and other federal regulations that restrict the financial relationships hospitals may have with physicians who refer patients to them. Centra proactively came forward, self-disclosed its violations of the False Claims Act, and worked with the government to resolve these issues.

Read more on www.justice.gov

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