Dignity Health Agreed to Pay $368,000 for Allegedly Violating the Civil Monetary Penalties Law by Providing Improper Remuneration to Physician Specialists at a Community Physician Practice

After it self-disclosed conduct to OIG, Dignity Health (Dignity), agreed to pay $368,364.69 for allegedly violating the Civil Monetary Penalties Law including provisions applicable to beneficiary inducements, physician self-referrals and kickbacks. OIG alleged that at one of Dignity's facilities in California, Dignity offered and paid the following remuneration in connection with an arrangement to induce referrals from physician specialists at a community physician practice: (a) medical equipment provided without charge and without a written agreement; (b) payments made to the physician practice for teaching physician supervision services that were not provided as claimed; (c) payments to a physician for services that were not provided as claimed; (d) payment for medical waste disposal services provided to the physician practice by a third party; (e) free medical supplies provided to the physician practice; (f) free taxi vouchers provided to patients of the physician practice; (g) food, drinks and baby shower gifts provided to patients of the physician practice; and (h) payments to two physicians for liaison marketing services that were not provided.

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