CMMC could lose Medicare and Medicaid funding due to problems

LEWISTON — Central Maine Medical Center has so many problems — including a nursing error in October that left a patient paralyzed — that the federal government might stop paying for Medicare and Medicaid patients to be admitted there.

The problems were uncovered by federal investigators who visited in January, March and April. If the hospital does not correct its issues by June 30, it stands to lose tens of millions of dollars a year, a sizable chunk of its revenue.

CMMC leaders declined to answer questions about the situation. On Thursday, they issued a written statement that read, in part: “We take every patient complaint — and all feedback — very seriously. While some complaints were found to be unsubstantiated, (the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) identified areas for improvement. We are working very closely with CMS to address those areas, and to ensure that we continue to provide safe, reliable and high-quality care.”

They added, “We expect the surveyors will be back next month to validate that CMMC has implemented those improvements, and we fully expect CMS to confirm our compliance.”

Read more: https://www.sunjournal.com/2019/05/02/cmmc-set-to-lose-medicare/