Dive Brief:
- The former chief financial officer of Texas-based Shelby Regional Medical Center will pay $4.4 million in restitution for falsely attesting to the meaningful use program.
- According to the indictment, Joe White received $785,655 in federal incentive funding in January 2013 for successful demonstration of meaningful use during the 2012 reporting period. White pleaded guilty in November to lying to the government regarding the implementation of the EHR, as well as to a charge of aggravated identity theft. White used an employee's name to create false documentation to receive the incentive funds.
- White will be sentenced on May 27 and faces up to seven years in federal prison.
Dive Insight:
The hospitals that White lied about were owned by Dr. Tariq Mahmood, who was convicted last July of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud and aggravated identity theft. He is currently appealing a sentence of 11 years.