The company that operates the Florida Hospital health system has agreed to pay $5.4 million to settle charges filed by the U.S. government that it violated federal rules requiring supervision of radiation oncology services.
The deal partially settles a whistleblower suit filed in 2010 by Dr. Michael Montejo, a radiation oncologist and former employee of Florida Oncology Network, a radiation oncology group. Florida Hospital was charged with violating requirements that a radiation oncologist or similarly qualified personnel supervise radiation oncology services delivered to beneficiaries of Medicare and Tricare, the healthcare system operated by the U.S. Department of Defense.
U.S. officials charged that Florida Hospital violated the rules from 2010 to 2013 for services including radiation simulation, dosimetry, radiation treatment delivery and devices, and intensity-modulated radiation therapy. The violations occurred at a number of locations, including Altamonte Springs, Daytona Beach, Deland, Kissimmee, Orange City, Orlando, Palm Coast, and Winter Park.
As part of the settlement, Montejo will receive $1.1 million under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and share in any recovery.
Florida Hospital is operated by Adventist Health System Sunbelt Healthcare.
