◆ Weirton Medical Center in Weirton, West Virginia, has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle false claims allegations stemming from violations of the Stark Law, the Department of Justice said July 7.[1] The settlement, which is based on the hospital’s financial condition, was set in motion by its voluntary self-disclosure to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia about potential Stark Law violations. According to the settlement, from March 1, 2012, to May 30, 2019, the hospital billed Medicare for services referred by employed physicians with whom it had financial relationships that didn’t meet a Stark exception because compensation was allegedly above fair market value and/or took into account the volume or value of referrals. [2] The hospital didn’t admit liability in the settlement. Two of its attorneys didn’t respond to RMC’s request for comment.