The Department of Justice (DOJ) on June 6 announced the indictment of a California hospice nurse on fraud charges costing the Medicare program $2.5 million over two years. In its press release, DOJ describes that the fraud was committed by individuals who went to retirement homes after hours, when staff were not available to screen the visits, and solicited social security numbers from unsuspecting residents. These individuals then enrolled the residents fraudulently in hospice.
Further research by LeadingAge identified the two hospices owned by the nurse had not complied with any quality reporting requirements in FY2025.
LeadingAge has previously supported policy recommendations in the Hospice CARE Act of 2024, which would prohibit payment to hospices that fail to submit quality data required by the Hospice Quality Reporting Program.
