Dignity Health is a large healthcare system that operates in California, Nevada, and Arizona. In 2010, Dignity Health (then known as Catholic Healthcare West) entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services in response to allegations of fraudulent billing practices.
The duration of the Dignity Health CIA is five years, from 2010 to 2015. During this time, Dignity Health was required to implement certain measures to improve its compliance with federal healthcare laws and regulations. These measures included appointing a Compliance Officer and a Compliance Committee, conducting regular compliance training and education for employees, and establishing a hotline where employees could report potential violations.
In addition, Dignity Health was required to submit regular reports to the OIG detailing its compliance activities and any potential violations. The OIG had the authority to audit and review these reports to ensure that Dignity Health was complying with the terms of the CIA.
At the end of the five-year period, the OIG conducted a review of Dignity Health`s compliance activities and determined that the company had made significant improvements in its compliance program. As a result, the OIG released Dignity Health from the CIA early, in December 2014.
It`s worth noting that even though the CIA has ended, Dignity Health remains subject to ongoing monitoring and oversight by the OIG and other government agencies. This is because healthcare fraud and abuse is a serious problem that can harm patients and drive up healthcare costs. The government is committed to ensuring that companies like Dignity Health comply with federal healthcare laws and regulations in order to protect the integrity of the healthcare system.
In conclusion, the duration of the Dignity Health Corporate Integrity Agreement was five years, from 2010 to 2015. During this time, the company was required to implement certain measures to improve its compliance with federal healthcare laws and regulations. Although the CIA has ended, Dignity Health remains subject to ongoing monitoring and oversight to ensure that it continues to comply with these important laws and regulations.