Jackson Health System in Florida Settles Case Involving a Patient Dumping Allegation

On September 12, 2016, Public Health Trust of Miami-Dade County, Florida d/b/a Jackson Health System (Jackson), in Miami, Florida, entered into a $50,000 settlement agreement with OIG. The settlement agreement resolves allegations that Jackson violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) when it failed to accept the appropriate transfer of a patient who required the specialized capabilities available at Jackson. OIG's investigation revealed that a hospital in the Virgin Islands (requesting hospital) contacted Jackson and requested to transfer a patient who had a life-threatening Type A Aortic Dissection with Thrombus, which required immediate cardiothoracic surgical intervention. OIG's investigation revealed that Jackson declined to accept the transfer of the patient unless it received a guarantee of payment. The requesting hospital obtained the guarantee of payment, but Jackson still declined to accept the transfer because the request needed to be approved by a supervisor who would not be in until the following business day. A few hours later, the patient died at the requesting hospital. Under EMTALA, hospitals can be fined up to $50,000 per violation. Senior Counsel Felicia Heimer represented OIG.

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