Former RI hospital CEO sentenced to federal prison

Robert Urciuoli, former president and CEO of Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence, RI, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for conspiracy and mail fraud committed during his tenure with the hospital. Urciuoli also must pay $30,000 to cover the cost of two years of supervised release when he gets out, during which he will perform community service.

According to prosecutors, Urciuoli had his hospital pay then-state Sen. John Celona $260,000. The pay was intended to convince Celona to promote the hospital's interests in the state General Assembly and to get Celona to intervene in the hospital's talks with UnitedHealthcare and the state's Blue plan.

Urciuoli disguised the payments to Celona, prosecutors said, by hiring Celona as a consultant charged with raising awareness of a related nursing home.

To learn more about the case:
- read this Modern Healthcare piece (reg. req.)