The Houston Chronicle reported this week on a new criminal case being launched against hospital executives for running an apparently $116 Medicare scam. Our Illinois nursing home abuse attorneys know that the situation is yet another reminder that when it comes to elder neglect money truly is the root of all evil. According to allegations being made in the criminal case, a senior general hospital executive was apparently involved in a kickback scheme that bilked taxpayers out of well over a hundred million dollars in funds. The fraudulent actions sent money to patient recruiters and nursing home owners in exchange to sending those patients to mental health clinics run by the general hospital.
The charged executive managed the day-to-day operations of the hospital’s clinics. The bizarre accusations suggest that the executive also bribed “patients with cigarettes, food, and coupons redeemable at the hospital’s ‘country stores’ in order to entice them to therapy.” Of course the facility stood to gain financially from having these seniors and disabled community members use their particular services, regardless of whether they needed those services or not.
The specific charges against the man claim that, along with co-conspirators, he submitted$116 million in claims to Medicare for mental health services that were not need or not even provided. The patients were steered to the facility by paying off those who made decisions about where to send patients. In one case a recruiter was paid $5,000yearly. In another case a recruiter was apparently given $300 for every patient that he directed toward one of the clinics managed by the hospital administrator. Other allegations implicate a nursing home. Apparently, the executive paid the owner of the facility nearly $4,000 in exchange for the owner referring residents to the hospital in question.
These situations cannot be tolerated. The only way to make sure things change is to hold those who engage in these practices fully accountable. Private citizens have a role to play. When you suspect a nursing home near you is not committing the resources necessary to keep patients safe please do not remain silent. Report the situation to state officials, visit with elder advocacy group, and contact legal professionals to understand what can be done to demand changes and ultimately save lives.
Full Article and Source:
Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog: Hospital Executives Charged in Medicare Scam for Steering Elderly Residents to Mental Health Clinics
So our problems are not just with thieving lawyers?
ReplyDeleteGood lord, this is scary.
ReplyDeleteI am not at all surprised. I know some working in hospitals are predators, great hunting ground for prey.
ReplyDeleteI witnessed this while documenting who did what when and where. One instance was a person who identified himself as a 'case manager' at a Chicago.
This person lied. If I had not met the real case manager the day before (a female) our loved one might have become one of his victims with document in hand for patient to sign with dangerous consequences.
BEWARE!!! When your elderly loved one is hospitalized, someone 'trusted' must stand guard around the clock, but know this, the minute you leave there is an opportunity for your loved one to be 'taken advantage' of, those with unethical criminal intentions are in the doorway, in their room just that fast.
Who would believe ELDER ABUSE and unethical activities can happen in the hospital?
Belive it if not you or someone you love will be the next victim.
thanks anon for the tip
ReplyDeleteWhen I read about the bad in a good place it really is upsetting to me. There are many good people in hosptials I just hate it to read about a bad person losing causing me to lose faith in society afraid to trust anyone anymore. Shameful.
ReplyDeleteNo mercy on these people who use innocent people so they can profit. Prison is the only remedy, years in a cage, lock 'em up and forget about 'em.
ReplyDelete