Home Health & Hospice Week
HHAs Burned By Fraud Spotlight
MD owner to serve two years in prison while MI owner could face 20. Beware trying to wear one too many hats with Medicare - it may cost you all of them. William C. Geist, Jr., owner of a Staff Builders Inc. home health franchise, as well as Sierra Mountain Enterprises Ltd., allegedly used his franchises to steal at least $250,000 from Maryland Medicaid. Staff Builders' home care business is now Tender Loving Care Health Care Services. Geist broke related-party rules by purchasing medical supplies for the Staff Builders franchise from his other company, without disclosing ownership - then billing Medicaid for the 40 percent mark-up. Geist also allegedly misrepresented the number of employees working for Staff Builders by adding the names of employees who worked at his other companies to Staff Builders' time sheets. Geist got better reimbursement from Medicaid on one hand, while making his other company more profitable. The scheme unraveled when employees noticed the wrong company was issuing their checks. Geist, who has already paid the $250,000 owed, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison plus five years probation, Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. reports. Geist and his companies will also have to cough up state penalties and investigative costs totaling nearly $1.5 million. Meanwhile, a Michigan HHA owner, her husband and the HHA pled guilty Feb. 10 to conspiracy to commit mail and health care fraud, reports U.S. Attorney Margaret M. Chiara. Elena Szilvagyi, owner of Prime Care Services Inc., and David Szilvagyi "admitted that they passed some of the costs of constructing their home in Clarkston, Michigan" to Medicare via false cost report statements, according to Chiara. The Szilvagyis will be sentenced May 11 and could face 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Prime Care faces a possible $500,000 fine and 20 years probation, Chiara says.
Not the Same Kind of Home Care
Home Health & Hospice Week
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Hospice Costs
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West Coast Fraud Could Mean Tougher Regulation
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Use One Signature To Meet Grijalva Requirements
Follow tips from the experts on documenting a refusal to sign the notice of termination.
[...] - Enforcement:
HHAs Burned By Fraud Spotlight
MD owner to serve two years in prison while MI owner could face 20.
Beware [...] - Industry Notes:
Home Care Settlement Kept In Check By Self-Disclosure
SC provider to shell out $9.5 million
When Bon Secours Health System Inc. acquired Greenville, [...]
