SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – An agreement between Sanford Health and the federal government requires the health care system to hire an outside auditor to monitor its billing.
The agreement with the inspector general for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services allows Sanford to continue to participate in Medicare and other federal programs.
It comes as Sanford settles a whistleblower lawsuit in which it agreed to pay more than $20 million in penalties after it was accused of allowing Dr. Wilson Asfora, a neurosurgeon, to defraud the federal government out of millions of dollars.
The lawsuit by two of Asfora’s colleagues alleged that Sanford allowed the neurosurgeon to use his company’s medical devices in surgeries.
The agreement also requires Sanford to conduct annual training for medical staff about federal laws that prohibit kickbacks.
