The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas has intervened in a False Claims Act qui tam suit against Hospice Home Care, Inc. for allegedlly billing Medicare for general inpatient (acute) care in situations where only routine care was provided. Medicare reimburses hospice providers on four different pay scales based upon the level of care provided; unfortunately, like many Government funded programs, some unscrupulous profit-driven hospice companies will do anything to seek reimbursement at the highest rate, even where such rates are not justified. “The integrity of our federal health care programs is threatened every day by acts of fraud and abuse. We are committed to vigorously investigating, prosecuting and punishing those health care providers who seek to manipulate the system for their own financial gain,” stated U.S. Attorney, Jane W. Duke about the lawsuit, adding, “The qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act provide a comprehensive method of recouping the monetary losses to the programs.”

In January 2009, Frohsin & Barger negotiated the largest settlement of Hospice fraud allegations in the history of the False Claims Act, recovering nearly $25 million on behalf of the Government.  To report Medicare Hospice fraud or learn more about qui tam lawsuits, contact Frohsin & Barger.