Medicaid overbilling allegations were ‘inaccurate’ and ‘misleading,’ Signature HealthCARE says

Signature Statement on Medicaid Billing Issue

Authorities have asserted that Signature HealthCARE billed Medicaid for $2 million in unapproved costs, but this was an oversimplification that presented the company in an unfair light, the large long-term care provider contends.

The $2 million figure came from a Tennessee Comptroller’s Office report and press release issued on June 30, which stated that Signature had billed Medicaid for unapproved costs related to such things as marketing expenses.

In fact, the $2 million cited by the press release “applied to overhead for all of our centers” and not only the 22 in Tennessee, according to Signature’s subsequent analysis of the cost report settlement.

Taking into account the particulars of Tennessee’s Medicaid rules, the relevant amount for that state is only about $250,000, Signature stated. The Louisville-based provider says it has not been “billed, informed or notified” that it owes this money, and is “expecting a settlement letter by year-end 2014.”

Signature’s leadership — including Chief Executive Officer Joe Steier, Ed.D., MBA, CPA — had a productive meeting with the comptroller’s office last week, Signature spokesman Ben Adkins told McKnight’s.