The Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) has imposed fines totalling €6,000 on 17 healthcare providers, including 16 orthopaedic surgeons and one urologist, for submitting fraudulent claims to the General Health System (GHS).
The HIO found that the orthopaedic surgeons had submitted claims for reimbursement of activities that were not performed during patient visits. The urologist, meanwhile, was accused of recording claims for ultrasound scans of male genitalia on female patients and for repeated and unjustified scans.
The HIO imposed fines ranging from €300 to €500 on the orthopaedic surgeons, depending on the severity of the offence. The urologist was fined €1,000.
HIO Director Konstantinos Panayides said the organisation conducts daily checks on the system for suspicious activity and investigates all cases of suspected fraud. “In cases where the investigation yields data that concerns us, we impose administrative fines or suspend or terminate contracts,” he said.
The HIO has also given a hospital a deadline to correct errors in its GHS software. If the hospital fails to comply, the HIO will take further action.
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