ROBERT P. CASEY, JFI. -l Llnitltd Etatts Srnatt 33'- N. liz. WASHIMGTUN. DC 7115152 0.511.! 3-'r 131'! um on new; August 3, 201'; "of The Honorable Daniel R. Levinson Inspector General US. Department of Health and Human Services 330 Independence Avenue SW Washington, DC 20201 Dear Inspector General Levinson, am writing regarding the status of ongoing investigations into Universal Health Services (UHS), a for-pro?t hospital management company with more than 225 health facilities located throughout the US. and headquartered in King of Prussia, As you may know, over the last several years there have been multiple reports of wrongdoing and investigations opened into UHS facilities throughout the US. As outlined below, UHS has been investigated in regard to workplace safety concerns, the treatment of its patients, and potentially fraudulent billing practices. The accusations of misconduct again UHS are manifold, and extend to an investigation of UHS as a corporation. In 2015 the Department of Health and Human Services? Of?ce of Inspector General (GIG) began investigating UHS as a corporate entity because of potential Medicare and Medicaid billing fraud at numerous UHS facilities across the country.' 01G began issuing subpoenas to numerous UHS facilities across the country for documents dating back to 2013 related to Medicare and Medicaid billing. In April of 2015 UHS announced to its investors that an OIG investigation into the business activities ol?its facilities, which began in early 2013, has been expanded to include UI-IS as a corporate entity.2 Additionally, a series of investigative BuzzFeed news articles published at the end of 201 6 allege that patients at UHS facilities were pressured into unnecessary admittance and prolonged hospitalizations.3 The report alleges that UHS holds patients for longer than medically necessary to maximize the amount of Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements the company receives. Another BuazFeed news report cited nurses from Brooke Glen Behavioral Hospital who alleged that doctors at the facility would ask when a patient?s last covered day was?? the last day Medicare, Medicaid, or their private insurance would pay for care? and discharge the patient ?Universal Health Services Says it"s Under Criminal Investigation." Philadelphia Inquirer. April I, 2015. l_i_i tiling Universal l-lcalth Services savs it under ginninai 2 UHS Securities and Exchange Commission report. Fiscal Year 20 5. 52?} 5.000 1 56-1590 160 1 337mm; 23 1 .Itunt??il'l'ihri 3 3 ?Locked on the Ward.? BuzzFeed News. December .buzz fc ed .comfrosal i ndadal si make?? at tc rm - then, regardless of actual medical need.4 The conduct alleged in these articles is concerning and raises questions about the validity of billing practices and ability to properly care for its patients. Furthermore, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ?led numerous violations against UHS facilities across the US. Recently, in January of 20] 7, OSHA issued four citations against Brooke Glen Behavioral Hospital in Fort Washington, PA, and ?ned UHS more than $30,000 in connection with the violations? OSHA said the hospital exposes ?employees to hazard workplace violence after the investigation found the facility had a number of incidents in which violence was committed by patients against employees.? OSHA further said the ?reports of violent incidents re?ect a lax approach to workplace safety.? Most recently, in May of 2017' the Central Laborers? Pension Fund ?led a derivative lawsuit against UHS in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of The suit alleges UHS has knowingly overlooked the hospital operator?s over-admittance of patients and wrongly billed government agencies for the fees, in violation of the False Claims Act. The suit alleges that this conduct enabled UHS to arti?cially boost the price of the company?s shares, which UHS executives and directors then sold at a pro?t. Altogether, the OSHA workplace safety violations, the pattern of patient treatment detailed in the BuzzFeed news reports, and the various investigations into the billing practices of UHS raise questions about the safety of patients at UHS facilities and the accountability of the corporation. I am concerned about the welfare of patients and the billing practices of UHS. It is unclear what steps your of?ce is taking to investigate UHS for its possible patient abuses or fraudulent billing practices, and what the status is of the 2015 investigation OIG opened against UHS. Accordingly, I respectfully request information about the status of investigation into UHS and an update on any other activities your of?ce is taking to investigate UHS. Thank you in advance for your attention to my request, and I look forward to hearing from you 30011. Sincerely, Robert P. Casey, Jr. United States Senator 4 ?The FBI and Defense Department Are investigating America?s Biggest Hospital Chain." BuzzFeed News. May 23, 2017. ug? Ii iatric-cha - laces-w idcn in a- 5 OSHA Regional News Brief. January IT, 2017. '3 Execs Over-Admitted Patients For Pro?t, Says." t..aw360. May ii. 201?.