BOSTON (AP) - A state audit has identified $193 million in “improper or questionable” payments made by the state’s Medicaid program directly to doctors for mental health services.
Auditor Suzanne Bump said Monday that the services should have been paid for by Massachusetts Behavior Health Partnership, a state contractor that coordinates behavioral health treatment for MassHealth recipients.
The audit identified about $93 million in improper payments and another $100 million in questionable ones over a five-year period.
Bump, a Democrat, cited “poor claims administration,” by MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program. She called for immediate improvements to prevent future problems, and efforts to recoup money already paid.
In a response, MassHealth officials said the audit incorrectly included claims for certain medical treatments that were the responsibility of the state and not the contractor.
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