Home Health & Hospice Week
Hospice Fraudster Draws Major Prison Time
Cooperative CEO gets same sentence as hostile physician. More proof that hospice fraud is in the national spotlight — a big-time prison sentence in a high-profile hospice case. Six years after federal raids and five years after multiple Novus and Optimum Health Services hospice personnel were indicted, the Frisco, Texas hospice’s CEO has been sentenced to 13 years and three months in prison and ordered to pay $27.6 million in restitution, says the Department of Justice in a release. Bradley J. Harris pleaded guilty to a myriad of charges last March. Among other misdeeds, Harris admitted that from 2012 to 2016, he billed Medicare and Medicaid for hospice services that were not provided, that were not directed by a medical professional, or that were provided to ineligible patients; that he used blank, pre-signed controlled substance prescriptions to dole out Schedule II drugs without physician input; that he paid $150 per certification to physicians to falsely certify patients for hospice without examining them; and that he paid Express Medical for Medicare beneficiary information for recruitment purposes, the DOJ notes. Harris did not plead guilty to some of the more salacious charges first named in the search warrant affidavit and the original indictment — namely, that Harris had staff intentionally overdose patients to hasten their death for financial gain under the per-beneficiary hospice cap; and that he texted with a nurse about that practice (see HCW by AAPC, Vol. XXVI, No. 9). Ten of Harris’ codefendants, including physician Charles Leach, also pleaded guilty. Three more, including physicians Mark Gibbs and Laila Hirjee, were found guilty at trial. Gibbs received a 13-year sentence and $28.0 million in restitution; Hirjee drew a 10-year sentence and $16.3 million in restitution, and Leach received more than five years in prison and $10.1 million in restitution, the DOJ says.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- Covid-19:
Texas Agencies Now Have Their Vax Mandate Deadline Too
3 different deadlines for 3 different areas of the country sow confusion. The other shoe [...] - Reimbursement:
NOA Implementation Hits Even More Bumps
U537F glitch is the latest problem hindering NOA processing. The implementation of Home Health Notices [...] - Program Integrity:
PI Manual Addition Raises Specter Of NOA Fraud
Lack of specifics proves confusing. Another Home Health Notice of Admission development is causing some [...] - Labor Law:
Agencies Pay Millions In Wage And Hour Settlements For Aides
Watch out: Bonuses may put you in an overtime danger zone. You’d better dot your [...] - Industry Notes:
Hospice Fraudster Draws Major Prison Time
Cooperative CEO gets same sentence as hostile physician. More proof that hospice fraud is in [...] - Industry Notes:
Medicare Offers VBP Learning Session
The Jan. 1, 2023 start date for the nationwide Home Health Value-Based Purchasing payment system [...] - Industry Notes:
Combat 5CNER Denials With This NOE Know-How
Hospice Notice of Election delays can be costly. If you’re not sure why you’re seeing [...] - Industry Notes:
Let NOAs Process Before Submitting RCD Pre-Claim Requests, MAC Advises
Home health agencies in Review Choice Demonstration states may be eager to submit their pre-claim [...] - Industry Notes:
Know Which Care Compare Numbers Are Updated — And Which Aren't
Care Compare has begun displaying updated data again, after a long COVID pause. But if [...] - Industry Notes:
Learn The ABCs Of CTIs
Hospice eligibility based on terminal illness is a hot button topic for agencies ranging from [...] - Industry Notes:
Self-Reported Hospice Cap Due Soon
Hospice cap reductions may be in the public eye thanks to an upcoming Medicare Payment [...] - Industry Notes:
Extend Telehealth Waivers Until 2024, Reps Urge Congress
Extending COVID Public Health Emergency telehealth waivers until December 2024 is necessary for providers and [...] - Industry Notes:
More Phase 4 PRF Payments Possible
The Health Resources and Services Administration has continued its significant Provider Relief Fund assistance with [...]
