Article - August 1, 2008 - News-Leader

Agreement spells out tasks for Cox board

By Kathleen O'Dell

A week after CoxHealth announced a $60 million settlement with the U.S. Justice Department over alleged Medicare fraud and physician kickbacks, members of the Cox Board of Directors are tight-lipped about the settlement and their role as Cox moves forward. One thing is certain -- their job as a volunteer community board will ramp up.

The board was not negatively implicated in the settlement, based on the U.S. Attorney's announcement.

But as part of a "Corporate Integrity Agreement," the federal government is requiring all Cox Board members, administrators, physicians and staff to attend training -- within 120 days -- on changes or practices Cox must adopt to comply with federal health care benefit program requirements, said Dee Ellison, public affairs specialist with the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The Cox board is also charged with reviewing compliance reports that must be filed or presented at least quarterly for five years by a Cox administrator appointed as the "corporate compliance officer," the agreement shows.

These and other requirements are spelled out in the 33-page agreement between Cox and the Office of Inspector General.

None of the six board members contacted by the News-Leader, including board Chairman John Squires, would talk about what their role will be as Cox moves beyond the settlement, referring all questions to Laurie Cunningham. She works for Cox as vice president of corporate communications, but also serves as secretary of the Cox board.

Cunningham also declined to discuss the question -- "We've said all we have to say about it."

When pressed for comment as designated spokesperson for the Cox Board of Directors, she said, "We really have said everything we have to say about the settlement agreement with the government and the corporate compliance agreement, and feel we've been very transparent with the community as well as (with) our own physicians, volunteers, donors and our business partners about what we meant."

Cunningham added that Cox officials were "very careful and thorough in our communications" during the July 22 press conference, "... and feel we offered all we need to offer; we've said all we have to say about it...."

Board Chairman John Squires, with Cox CEO Robert Bezanson, in-house legal counsel Charity Elmer and legal counsel Steven Hill answered reporters' questions July 22 at Cox South following the settlement announcement.

Full story


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