Outpatient Facility Coding Alert - 2015 Issue 9
Hospice: Hospices the Target of Fraud Investigations
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Article Overview
This article examines recent hospice fraud and abuse enforcement actions and why they matter to providers, compliance teams, auditors, and legal professionals working in post-acute and end-of-life care. It summarizes selected government actions, whistleblower-driven settlements, corporate integrity oversight, and allegations involving hospice eligibility, documentation, staffing, and provider impersonation. The piece is useful for readers tracking hospice compliance risk, Medicare program integrity, and broader fraud investigation trends.
Why This Topic Matters
Hospice organizations operate under close scrutiny because enrollment, eligibility, documentation, and staffing practices can trigger federal and state fraud investigations. Understanding the types of cases highlighted in this article can help stakeholders recognize compliance vulnerabilities and the enforcement environment surrounding hospice services.
Article Sections
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Overview of hospice fraud enforcement
Introduces the enforcement landscape for hospice providers and the role of whistleblowers, settlements, and government scrutiny. Sets the context for the examples discussed in the article.
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Good Shepherd Hospice settlement and allegations
Summarizes the multi-state hospice chain matter and the categories of conduct described by federal authorities. Includes discussion of whistleblower involvement and program integrity concerns.
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Other recent hospice enforcement actions
Presents additional hospice-related enforcement matters from different states. Covers settlement activity, government allegations, and compliance oversight references.
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Indiana case: Premier Hospice and Palliative Care
Describes one hospice matter involving Medicare billing and related ownership and disclosure issues. Notes the involvement of federal oversight authorities.
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New York case: Compassionate Care Hospice of New York
Summarizes allegations, settlement terms, and oversight actions involving a New York hospice provider. Mentions the related integrity agreement and claims about care and records.
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Texas case: impersonation and hospice billing
Covers a criminal matter involving a person alleged to have posed as a nurse to obtain work with hospice providers. Addresses the resulting claims activity and provider names mentioned in the article.
What You Will Learn
- How hospice fraud investigations are described by federal enforcement agencies
- What kinds of hospice compliance issues can lead to settlements or lawsuits
- How whistleblower actions may contribute to hospice fraud cases
- What types of oversight tools may accompany hospice enforcement actions
- How impersonation and staffing-related fraud can affect hospice billing
Who Should Read This
- Hospice providers
- Compliance officers
- Medical coders and auditors
- Healthcare attorneys
- Revenue integrity teams
- Post-acute care administrators
- Fraud and abuse investigators
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