Additional Settlements Announced in Kyphoplasty Whistleblower Lawsuit

Fifty-five more hospitals have announced a combined $34 million in settlements for allegedly overbilling Medicare for hospital stays following kyphoplasty treatments, states a July 2, 2013, U.S. Department of Justice press release. Kyphoplasty, a surgical procedure in which an inflatable tube is used to create an air cavity inside a compressed vertebra that is then filled with cement to strengthen the bone, can in many cases be performed on a same-day, outpatient basis. According to a July 2, 2012, Modern Healthcare article, these hospitals are the latest to settle overpayment cases as part of a large whistleblower lawsuit alleging that the hospitals kept patients overnight to increase Medicare reimbursement.