Texas CFO convicted of MU fraud
The former CFO of a Texas hospital has pled guilty to lying before a U.S. Magistrate Judge when attesting to successful meaningful use of an EHR, even though the organization did not meet Meaningful Use requirements.
Joe White was responsible for both overseeing EHR implementation at Shelby Regional Medical Center in Center, Texas and attesting to Meaningful Use, according to multiple reports. The hospital received almost $786,000 in incentive payments.
This marks the first conviction of someone defrauding the Meaningful Use program.
White is not the only hospital employee who helped put the institution out of business. In July, Shelby Regional Medical Center's owner, Tariq Mahmood, MD, was convicted of healthcare fraud and conspiracy. Mahmood received nearly $313,000 in Medicare reimbursements from false claims. The hospital shut down one day after losing Medicare and Medicaid status and months after authorities filed criminal charges against Mahmood.
White faces up to five years in prison, though a sentencing date has not yet been set.
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.