Threatened with loss of Medicare funding, CMMC's Tupponce says he expects hospital to be found in compliance

Courtesy / CMMC Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

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By Maureen Milliken

Central Maine Medical Center's president said the Lewiston hospital "has every expectation that [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] will confirm our compliance with standards" after a report from the federal agency said it may terminate payments for Medicare patients if some issues weren't addressed.

If CMS stops those payments, the Lewiston hospital would lose a significant source of its revenues, amounting to tens of millions of dollars.

David Tupponce, who is also executive vice president of Central Maine Healthcare System, told Mainebiz Friday, "Safety and quality are our top priorities."

The hospital, following a January survey that focused on a medial error that left a patient paralyzed, was found not to meet its requirements as a supplier of Medicare services, according to a February letter from CMS to Tupponce. The letter said the Medicare agreement would terminate May 4 if the hospital is found not to be in compliance. That deadline was later extended to June 30, according to hospital officials.

CMS said that Lewiston hospital was not in compliance with conditions of participation in the categories of governing body, emergency services, and quality assurance and performance improvement. Termination could be averted by submitting an acceptable plan of correction to the state survey agency, the Maine Department of Health and Human services, and verification of compliance by DHHS.

The letter, which included a 38-page report, said a termination notice would be posted 15 days before termination at this website. No notice for CMMC was listed among the more than 90 present on the site Friday. The site says that notices will remain for three months.

DHHS officials told the Lewiston Sun Journal Thursday that they are working with federal regulators on the issue.

Tupponce said Friday, "After two years of solid quality improvement — an 'A' Leapfrog score, Joint Commission certifications and multiple re-accreditations, including being named one of the top 50 cardiac hospitals in the nation — we recognize that there are still opportunities for improvement.

"Our federal and state partners have a responsibility to hold all hospitals to the highest standards, and we welcome the opportunity to work with them to address our opportunities for improvement. We have every expectation that CMS will confirm our compliance with standards," he told Mainebiz in an email. "Surveyor visits are routine at every hospital in the country, and we welcome the chance to continually improve."

CMMC is part of Central Maine Healthcare, which also includes Bridgton and Rumford hospitals.