Replace 6:05 PM ET: Provides Acadia’s response
Acadia Healthcare (NASDAQ:ACHC), one of many largest operators of behavioral well being facilities within the U.S., is holding individuals towards their will to maximise insurance coverage payouts, alleged a New York Instances report on Sunday.
In at least 12 of the 19 states the place Acadia (ACHC) operates psychiatric hospitals, dozens of sufferers, staff and law enforcement officials have notified authorities that the corporate was detaining individuals in ways in which broke the legislation, the report said, citing data.
In an announcement to Searching for Alpha, the corporate referred to as the report’s assertions inaccurate.
In response to the report, some sufferers who got here searching for routine psychological well being care discovered themselves despatched to Acadia (ACHC) amenities and locked in.
The corporate used legal guidelines meant for individuals who pose a direct hazard to themselves to carry sufferers who appeared to not have met these authorized requirements, the report added, citing data and interviews.
The report alleged that Acadia (ACHC) held sufferers for monetary causes fairly than medical ones.
Acadia (ACHC) makes use of plenty of methods to persuade insurers to pay for longer stays, the report mentioned, citing worker interviews.
“Acadia has exaggerated sufferers’ signs. It has tweaked treatment dosages, then claimed sufferers wanted to remain longer due to the adjustment. And it has argued that sufferers aren’t properly sufficient to go away as a result of they didn’t end a meal,” the New York Instances alleged. “Except the sufferers or their households rent attorneys, Acadia typically holds them till their insurance coverage runs out.”
“Choices on affected person care, together with how lengthy therapy could also be needed, are by no means enterprise selections made by the Firm,” mentioned Acadia (ACHC). “The characterization of the few historic instances cited doesn’t symbolize all details influencing complicated medical selections made by multi-disciplinary groups led by psychiatrists.”
