Methodist Hospital in Houston has agreed to pay the United States $9.99 million to settle allegations that it defrauded the federal Medicare program, the U.S. Department of Justice announced March 26, 2009.

The government alleged that, between January 2001 and August 2003, Methodist improperly inflated charges for inpatient and outpatient care to make its costs for providing such care appear greater than they actually were, and thereby obtain outlier payments from Medicare that it was not entitled to receive, according to a DOJ press release.

For the full press release, go to: http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2009/March/09-civ-274.html.

For more information about Medicare fraud, contact Nolan and Auerbach, PA.