Walnut Creek, Calif.-based American Psychiatric Centers agreed to pay $2.75 million to settle allegations it submitted false psychotherapy claims to government payers, the Justice Department said in an Aug. 20 news release.
What happened?
- Since 2015, the company, doing business as Comprehensive Psychiatric Services, billed government payers using add-on psychotherapy codes 90833 and 90836, which require documentation showing services were provided alongside an evaluation and management visit.
- The government alleged that from Jan. 1, 2015, through Dec. 31, 2022, CPS used these codes when services were either not provided or insufficiently documented.
- As part of the settlement, CPS will pay $2.6 million to the United States and $134,431 to California.
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