BrightStar Care of Chattanooga, a provider of home care and medical staffing services in Chattanooga, Tenn., has agreed to pay $20,374 for allegedly violating the Civil Monetary Penalties Law by employing an excluded individual, according to the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG).
The settlement agreement resolves allegations that BrightStar employed an individual who was excluded from participating in any federal health care program. OIG’s investigation revealed that the excluded individual, a caregiver, provided items or services that were billed to federal health care programs.
OIG maintains a list of all currently excluded individuals and entities called the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE). To avoid liability, agencies need to routinely check the list to ensure that new hires and current employees are not on it.