The Truth is Powerful
Cougar Health Services building Washington State University’s student health services program located on the Pullman campus recently identified that it has not been in compliance with billing rules related to charging for third-party laboratory services. Specifically, lab services provided by a CLIA-certified outside lab were marked up and billed by Cougar Health Services, the WSU Pullman student healthcare provider. Cougar Health Services is contacting those that were impacted, including insurance payers, to report the error and determine if any repayment is required.
WSU has also notified the appropriate government agencies of the incorrect billing practice, which appears to have been in place for a number of years. The actual amount of the overpayment is still being determined.
This error was discovered through Cougar Health Services’ and WSU’s renewed emphasis on compliance and risk management. In 2020, Cougar Health Services launched a more robust compliance program, including formalizing compliance committee oversight, to examine regulatory issues that relate specifically to healthcare compliance.
The next step in the Cougar Health Services compliance program will be the hiring of a dedicated quality assurance and compliance coordinator, who will report directly to the executive director of Cougar Health Services and to WSU’s new chief compliance and risk […]