The town government in Darien is dropping Murphy Medical Associates as its Covid-19 testing vendor after a New York Times article uncovered evidence of billing irregularities by the Greenwich-based company.
The Times”™ investigation found 11 patients who claimed Murphy Medical Associates attached fees for unnecessary tests to the examinations, a practice known as “upcoding” that comes with high reimbursement charges. The examinations were conducted at a public testing site set up by the town in a train station parking lot.
Darien First Selectman Jayme Stevenson and Health Director David Knauf issued a statement that acknowledged Murphy Medical Associates and its founder, Dr. Steven Murphy, for filling a “critical void in our community early in the pandemic,” but also noted that the “insurance billing allegations are separate and distinct from the quality or timeliness of the service provided which, from community feedback received, has been consistently positive.”
While chiding Murphy for not displaying a “greater level of transparency,” Stevenson and Knauf added the town is “exploring alternate testing options as we recognize the importance of this service to our community. We expect to make an announcement very soon.”
