ASHEVILLE, NC. (WLOS) — Later this month, Dogwood Health Trust with an Independent Monitor will review its findings on HCA Healthcare’s compliance in 2024.
Those findings are expected to be presented to North Carolina’s Attorney General on July 30. The public will be notified of any issues following the notification to the AG’s office.
In addition to investing in the health and wellness of Western North Carolina, Dogwood Health Trust’s role is to ensure that HCA is compliant with the terms it agreed to when it bought the Mission Health System.
STATE FINDS NO DEFICIENCIES AT MISSION HOSPITAL AFTER 35 COMPLAINTS PROMPT INVESTIGATION
UNION NURSES PROTEST MAHEC DEPARTURE FROM MISSION NETWORK, HOSPITAL STAFFING
Dogwood Health Trust recently released a timeline for those events in 2025:
- May 1: HCA’s Annual Report is due to Dogwood Health Trust (Dogwood) and the IM (Affiliated Monitors, Inc.) by May 1, or 120 days after the end of HCA’s fiscal year (Dec. 31, 2024).
- July 30: Dogwood must provide notice to the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) 90 days after the receipt of the HCA’s Annual Report as to whether Dogwood intends to notify HCA of any potential noncompliance.
- Aug 29: 30 days after receipt of Dogwood’s letter, the AGO must provide notice to Dogwood if the AGO decides that Dogwood has failed to adequately exercise its right to enforce certain obligations of HCA.
- Oct 28: 180 days after receipt of HCA’s Annual Report, Dogwood or the AGO is required to provide notice to HCA of any potential noncompliance.
- Dec 27: During the 60-day period following delivery of notice to HCA, all parties can attempt to resolve any issues regarding noncompliance. If the parties are unable to come to resolution, Dogwood may seek resolution through the courts after 60 days. If conversations with HCA are productive, the parties can continue discussions to resolve the matter past December 27.
Because of Helene, the Independent Monitor and Dogwood Health Trust have yet to finalize the 2023 report. Two of the previous flagged issues have been resolved. Those included the following:
- Related to 7.13(b) – Participate and remain in good standing with Medicare/Medicaid Services – the acceptance of the Plan of Correction by the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on June 11, 2024, returned HCA to good standing with the agency.
- Related to 7.15 – Maintain Uninsured and Charity Care Policies/Approval Process – the adoption of a revised policy, effective January 1, 2025, resolved the changes to the policy edits regarding the use of liens, which were not reviewed as required by the agreement.
The issue that remains pending is the ongoing litigation issue between Jackson ex rel. Dogwood Health Trust v. HCA Management Services et al.
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