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Adena Working To Avoid Medicare Cut-Off
By: Associated Press
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The government plans to end federal Medicare funding to a central Ohio hospital after inspectors said security lapses were serious enough to "pose immediate jeopardy to patient health and safety."
But a spokeswoman at Adena Medical Center in Chillicothe said Wednesday that the hospital expects to avert the cut-off, set for April 27, by complying with security rules before then. She says policies that started last month include requiring visitor badges and updates to check-in procedures.
An Ohio Department of Health review says a discharged patient in February took a nurse's badge and stole medications from a secure unit. Officials say they found two areas with unsecured drugs and syringes in a March.
Medicare provides health insurance for those 65 and older.