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Eamon Farrell/Photocall
Cancer drugs
St Vincent's Hospital denies fraud claims by Senator John Crown
The chairman of St Vincent’s Healthcare Group has written to Senator John Crown and asked him to send on all information he has in relation to the matter.
Updated 22:57
ST VINCENT’S HEALTHCARE Group said in a statement today that an independent investigation carried out by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) stated that “work on the Clinical Studies has not indicated any evidence of collusion or fraud by staff or within the hospital”.
The chairman of St Vincent’s Healthcare Group has written to Senator Crown in relation to what they state are “very serious allegations” he made in the Seanad earlier today about members of staff deliberately charging private health insurers for cancer drugs which had been given to the hospital for free.
St Vincent’s
It stated the chairman has asked Senator John Crown to forward to him, “as a matter of extreme urgency”, all information that he has in relation to this matter so that it can be fully considered by the board of St Vincent’s Healthcare Group.
The statement went on to say that they believed the matter raised by Senator Crown relates to issues at St Vincent’s Private Hospital that pre-date the establishment of St Vincent’s Healthcare Group.
VHI Healthcare said they had been made aware of the charges for “high cost cancer drugs” used to treat patients which had actually been given to the hospital for free and asked PWC to investigate the matter.
They added that over €1 million had been recouped that had been raised incorrectly.
VHI Healthcare said it has a Special Claims Investigations Unit, which is “dedicated to ensuring that incidences of error or overcharging by healthcare providers are fully investigated and rectified”.
Originally published 17:59
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