Addiction treatment chain settles billing fraud allegations - WBUR
A company that operates a network of addiction treatment centers has agreed to pay $4.5 million to settle allegations that it charged the Massachusetts Medicaid program for unnecessary urine drug testing that was illegally performed at the company's own lab, officials said Thursday.
CleanSlate Centers, which operates more than 80 facilities in 10 states including 18 in Massachusetts, will pay $3.2 million to the state and $1.3 million to the federal government, the company and the state attorney general's office said in separate statements.
“As we face a worsening opioid crisis in Massachusetts, it’s important that treatment centers follow the rules and not cut corners to increase their bottom line,” state Attorney General Maura Healey said. “Our resolution with CleanSlate will bring millions of dollars back to the state and implement the oversight needed to protect patients and prevent these violations from happening again."
Tennessee-based CleanSlate, which includes former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy on its board of directors, denies any wrongdoing, liability or violating any laws, CEO Greg Marotta said in a statement.
“We have chosen to settle this case due to the severe economic impact a prolonged legal battle would have had on the thousands of individuals and families we serve," he said.
CleanSlate has served nearly 40,000 Massachusetts residents since 2009, and wants to focus on its primary mission.
“We will continue to work relentlessly with the Commonwealth to...
Read Full Story: https://www.wbur.org/news/2021/12/30/cleanslate-centers-illegal-urine-drug-te...