Florida Sues Trinity Health Care for Overpayment

The state of Florida is suing Trinity Health Care Services after accidentally overpaying the company over $5 million due to a decimal error in an invoice intended for COVID-19 vaccination registration. The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) meant to pay $50,578.50 but instead transferred $5,057,850.00, an error compounded by further overpayments totaling more than $5.7 million. The lawsuit alleges that CEO Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who later won a congressional seat, knowingly submitted inflated invoices during a state of emergency. Florida's lawsuit demands the return of overpaid funds, claiming Trinity was obligated to refund any money not owed. Cherfilus-McCormick is also facing unrelated ethics complaints, and the current CEO has declined to comment. Critics highlight the concerning timing of the funds, suggesting they may have been used to finance Cherfilus-McCormick’s congressional campaign.