Allscripts Proposes $145 Million Settlement to Resolve DOJ HIPAA and HITECH Act Case
A preliminary settlement has been proposed by Allscripts Healthcare Solutions to resolve alleged violations of HIPAA, the HITECH Act’s electronic health record (EHR) incentive program, and the Anti-Kickback Statute related to the electronic health record (EHR) company Practice Fusion, which was acquired by Allscripts in 2018.
Prior to the acquisition, Practice Fusion has been investigated by the Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont in March 2017 and had provided documentation and information. Between April 2018 and January 2019, the company received further requests for documents and information through civil investigative demands and HIPAA subpoenas.
Then in March 2019, the company received a grand jury subpoena over a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into the business practices of Practice Fusion, potential violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, HIPAA, and the payments received under the HHS EHR incentive program. Scant information has been released about the nature of the alleged violations by Practice Fusion.
The proposed settlement will see Allscripts pay $145 million to the DOJ to absolve the company and Practice Fusion of all civil and criminal liability related to the investigation. Allscripts President Rick Poulton hopes the settlement will be sufficient to resolve the case. Since Practice Fusion was acquired, Allscripts has had to devote an increasing amount of resources the investigation. Poulton wants to reach an agreement as soon as possible so the company can move on.
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“While the amount we have agreed to pay of $145 million is not insignificant, it is in line with other settlements in the industry, and we are happy to have reached the agreement in principle,” said Poulton. “We will work with the DOJ to finalize the details of the settlement over the coming months”.
Last year, the HHS agreed a settlement with EHR vendor eClinicalWorks over alleged false claims related to the HITECH Act EHR incentive program. eClinicalWorks paid $155 million to resolve the case.
