Large St. Louis-area urgent care chain to pay $9.1M settlement over false claims allegations

ST. LOUIS -- One of the largest urgent care chains in Missouri will pay $9.1 million to settle allegations the company submitted false claims for medical services, including COVID-19 testing.

The U.S. Attorney's office in St. Louis on Thursday announced the settlement with Total Access Urgent Care, which operates more than two dozen clinics in the St. Louis area.

"This settlement will fully repay three federal health care programs for TAUC's overbilling for COVID tests and office visits," U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming said in a news release.

Federal prosecutors said Total Access Urgent Care submitted false insurance claims for COVID-19 testing between April 2021 and December 2021, using improper billing codes that resulted in the company getting reimbursements at a rate that was too high.

From 2017 to 2021, TAUC was accused of falsely claiming that doctors participated in some office visits that were actually overseen by non-physician practitioners. The reimbursement rate is higher for visits involving physicians.

Total Access Urgent Care said in a statement it "cooperated fully" with the investigation, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. The company said it has improved a compliance program.