Home Health & Hospice Week

Hospice eligibility and six-month-prognosis focus of successful whistleblower lawsuit. A hospice chain's $25 million settlement may make life harder for all hospices, thanks to increased scrutiny placed on the industry. Birmingham, Ala.-based SouthernCare Inc., a hospice chain with 95 offices in 15 states, has announced a $24.7 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and HHS Office of Inspector General to settle False Claims Act charges. In lawsuits filed in 2005 and 2007, two former employees accused SouthernCare of admitting and billing for patients who weren't eligible for hospice. The employees, Tanya Rice and Nancy Romeo, will receive $4.9 million from the settlement, the DOJ says. Enrollment quota: In their suits, RNs Rice and Romeo alleged that SouthernCare trolled churches, nursing homes, and doctor's offices for patients, regardless of their eligibility. Romeo said employees risked losing their jobs if they didn't meet a quota of enrolling 21 patients each [...]