Hospital claims costs were necessary
Read more: Local, Aspirus Keweenaw, Critical Access Hospital, Medicare
LAURIUM -- According to a recent audit by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital in Laurium may not be reimbursed for nearly $300,000 of Medicare money spent between 2004 and 2006.
The facility is considered a Critical Access Hospital and as such must follow strict procedures to receive reimbursement for their reported costs.
The audit claims the hospital was noncompliant, specifically in situations where inpatient beneficiaries were put in the same room as outpatients.
Aspirus Keweenaw claims that about $200,000 of the money should be reimbursed because the spending was necessary to keep up hospital operations.
A representative for the hospital said this kind of medical discrepancy is fairly normal.
