New York State Audit Show Eye Surgery Center of Westchester Inflated Billings by $115,934, Fined $5,000

Written By: Robert Cox

images.jpegEye Surgery Center of Westchester, located at 838 Pelhamdale in New Rochelle, N.Y. was one of six medical providers forced to reimburse the New York State Health Insurance Program a total of $2.4 million for inflated billings.

Eye Surgery Center of Westchester must pay back $115,934 and was fined $5,000.

Insurance and Financial Adviser News explains:

The inflated billings occurred when the providers charged the state for the cost of out-of-pocket fees, which were waived to attract patients who would not otherwise pay higher costs, according to officials. The claims were uncovered following audits by the New York State Comptroller’s Office, which regularly audits the NYSHIP program, administered by the state’s department of civil service through UnitedHealthcare. NYSHIP, which also goes by the name The Empire Plan, is the largest public-employer health insurance program in the nation outside of the federal government, providing coverage to more than 1.2 million current and former state and local government employees.