The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has advanced a motion to combat home healthcare fraud. They urge state and federal governments to strengthen oversight and enforcement.
Healthcare fraud: Supervisors warn fraudulent providers endanger patients
The board approved the motion on Tuesday without discussion. The directive tasks the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health with improving coordination among local, state, and federal agencies.
Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Kathryn Barger co-authored the motion. They cited what they describe as a rise in fraudulent practices by some providers.
Additionally, this includes billing for care that was not delivered and enrolling patients using stolen identities. The supervisors warn that such fraud endangers patients and undermines the integrity of the healthcare system.
“Hospice and home health care are meant to protect and support some of our most vulnerable residents, making fraud in these sectors an especially serious breach of trust,” Supervisor Kathryn Barger said.
Barger added that strengthening coordination and accountability across all levels of government remains essential. This is to safeguard the patients and families who rely on these vital services.
DOJ charges six in $50M sham hospice scheme
Approximately 4,800 home health and hospice agencies currently operate in Los Angeles County. On April 2, six of eight defendants charged with healthcare fraud appeared before the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the defendants included three nurses, a chiropractor, and a psychologist. The DOJ alleged that they defrauded the healthcare system of more than $50 million through sham hospice care facilities.
It was found that they bilked Medicare by using people without terminal illnesses as beneficiaries.
In the DOJ’s press release, Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, described Southern California as a high-risk environment. Davis said hospice-related and many other forms of health care fraud are found there.
Davis further noted that the United States loses billions of dollars every year to healthcare fraud.
In a separate development, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has revealed plans to scale its support for local non-profits fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS. This time, AHF will support 15 non-profits in the South Florida region with the proceeds of its annual 5k and music festival.