Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (Gentiva)–one of the largest providers of home health services in the world–has settled with the government for $12.5 million. The settlement came after allegations that it fraudulently billed Medicare for non-Medicare-covered costs. According to the Department of Justice Press Release, “[a]n investigation established that, through its annual submission of cost reports to Medicare for the years 1998 through 2000. Gentiva improperly billed Medicare for salaries and other costs of employees performing sales functions that were designed to increase patient utilization.” Gentiva denied the allegations.
This is, yet another, instance of the government persisting in its efforts to root out healthcare fraud. Because of the government’s mission, its press releases have been filled with indictments, settlements and convictions of healthcare providers and suppliers, many of whom experience imprisonment and/or paying the government sums well into the millions.
For more information on compliance, please contact Abby Pendleton, Esq. and for more information on government investigations and healthcare litigation, please contact Robert S. Iwrey, Esq. at (248) 996-8510 or (212) 734-0128 or visit the HLP website.