Medicare claims cost Reliant Care $8M

ST. LOUIS — A Missouri-based nursing home operator has agreed to pay $8.3 million to settle claims that it and its affiliates provided unnecessary therapy to residents and billed Medicare.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the deal announced Wednesday resolves claims involving questioned therapy by Reliant Care Group of the St. Louis suburb of Maryland Heights from January 2008 to April 2014.

As part of the settlement with the federal government, Reliant denied submitting false claims.

The company said it cooperated in the investigation and that it “is very satisfied with the result.”

Reliant must pay $2.8 million within five days and the rest, with interest, within three years.