Temple Health Pays $500,000 Settlement

Temple Health Pays $500,000 Settlement

source: Associated Press Science News

Temple University Health System will pay a $500,000 civil settlement to end a federal investigation involving allegations that nursing home patients were harmed by deficient care.

The investigation involved the 538-bed Temple Continuing Care Center and the 180-bed Elmira Jeffries Memorial Home, which billed Medicare and other federal health programs.

“We were paying for care that was performed so poorly it was tantamount to no care at all,” Assistant U.S. Attorney David R. Hoffman said.

Patients suffered harm, but no deaths occurred as a result of the deficiencies, according to the investigation.

In settling the case, Temple admitted no wrongdoing. The university no longer provides long-term care, having closed all three nursing homes it operated in North Philadelphia because of financial difficulties.

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