Florida Sues Healthcare Firm Over $5.8 Million COVID-19 Overpayment

The state of Florida is suing Trinity Health Care Services after allegedly overpaying the South Florida-based company $5.8 million for COVID-19 vaccination services during the pandemic. The lawsuit, filed in Leon Circuit Civil Court, claims the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) mistakenly paid Trinity $5,057,850.00 in June 2021 instead of the intended $50,578.50 due to a decimal point error.

According to the complaint, Trinity processed an invoice more than 100 times its typical size, taking advantage of the state of emergency during the pandemic. The lawsuit alleges that Trinity failed to return the overpayments, which totaled over $5.7 million across multiple invoices. The companyu2019s CEO at the time, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, is now a U.S. Congresswoman representing parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Stephanie Houp, FDEMu2019s deputy executive director and general counsel, stated in a June 13, 2024, letter to Trinity that the company was required to return any overpayments. u201cPart of the responsibilities of doing business with the State of Florida is the requirement to return any monies received in error,u201d Houp wrote. The state is seeking damages, interest, attorneysu2019 fees, and other relief.

Edwin Cherfilus, Trinityu2019s current CEO, declined to comment on the lawsuit. A request for comment from FDEM was pending as of Tuesday afternoon. The invoices attached to the lawsuit show that many were submitted and paid in 2021, but the state did not demand repayment until 2024.

The case highlights the challenges of managing emergency contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic, when rapid responses were often prioritized over meticulous financial oversight. The lawsuit underscores the stateu2019s efforts to recover funds it claims were paid in error, while Trinityu2019s role in the matter remains under scrutiny.