Review of Outpatient Surgeries Billed by Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital (the Hospital), located in Hollister, California, did not comply with Medicare billing requirements for all 141 of the outpatient surgery claims that we reviewed, resulting in overpayments of approximately $366,000. Specifically, the Hospital billed Medicare with an incorrect number of units for cataract and other surgeries. These errors occurred because the Hospital did not have adequate controls to prevent the incorrect billing of Medicare for service units on outpatient surgery claims.