The Bell Law Firm Commends Whistleblowers and the FBI for Revealing HCR ManorCare’s Nursing Home Financial Fraud & Abuse
The Bell Law Firm recognizes the efforts of whistleblowers who bring False Claims Act lawsuits against companies that attempt to defraud the government.
Charleston, WV, May 07, 2015 --(PR.com)-- On April 10, 2015, the federal government filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia’s Alexandria Division.
The Department of Justice consolidated and intervened in three whistleblower lawsuits[1] alleging Medicare and Tricare fraud that were pending against HCR ManorCare, one of the country’s largest nursing home providers. ManorCare operates more than 281 nursing homes in 30 U.S. states.
The consolidated complaint alleges that ManorCare required all of its nursing home centers to provide medically unnecessary rehabilitation services in order to bill federal healthcare programs for reimbursement.
“What is important about this lawsuit is that the authorities became aware of these alleged abuses, because every day Americans filed a whistleblower complaint,” said Harry F. Bell, a founding partner of The Bell Law Firm.
Multiple federal agencies and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) investigated the allegations in the whistleblower complaints before the government intervened in the three separate lawsuits, which were then consolidated. In recent years, the federal government has paid greater attention to financial fraud.
Since May 2009, the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action (HEAT), a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, has placed renewed emphasis on health care fraud. The initiative has successfully recovered billions of dollars by using the False Claims Act to pursue and sue companies attempting to defraud Medicaid and Medicare.
The details in the complaint filed by the government are extensive. At one point, on page 30 of the complaint[2], the government cited alleged internal emails from ManorCare corporate officers directing regional centers and rehabilitation therapists to “think creatively” about ways to bill unnecessary services.
The False Claims Act and its state equivalents provide an essential legal vehicle to hold for-profit nursing home companies responsible for the care they provide to vulnerable adults.
“When people defraud the government, first, they are providing medically unnecessary treatments to vulnerable adults in nursing home facilities, and second, they are extracting monies from taxpayers,” emphasized Bell.
The Bell Law Firm’s robust nursing home practice targets nursing home abuses and recognizes the role that whistleblowers play in combating nursing home abuse and financial fraud.
Visit http://www.belllaw.com/ for more information on how you can spot and stop nursing home abuse with tips from The Bell Law Firm.
About The Bell Law Firm
With the legal and technical resources necessary to litigate the most complex personal injury cases, The Bell Law Firm is proud to represent injury and accident victims from their office in Charleston, West Virginia.
Having recovered millions of dollars for personal injury victims, the experienced attorneys at The Bell Law Firm work closely with their clients to successfully deliver justice on their behalf. For more information or for a free, no-obligation case review, visit belllaw.com or call 1-844-700-4900.
The Bell Law Firm
Charleston Office
30 Capitol Street
Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: 304-345-1700
Toll Free: 844-700-4900
[1] See United States ex rel. Ribik v. ManorCare, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:09cv13-CMH-HCB (E.D. Va.); United States ex rel. Slough v. HCR ManorCare, et al., Case No. 1:14cv1228 (E.D. Va.); and United States ex rel. Carson v. HCR ManorCare, et al., Case No. 1:11cv1054 (E.D. Va.).
[2] See Complaint, section, 129.
The Department of Justice consolidated and intervened in three whistleblower lawsuits[1] alleging Medicare and Tricare fraud that were pending against HCR ManorCare, one of the country’s largest nursing home providers. ManorCare operates more than 281 nursing homes in 30 U.S. states.
The consolidated complaint alleges that ManorCare required all of its nursing home centers to provide medically unnecessary rehabilitation services in order to bill federal healthcare programs for reimbursement.
“What is important about this lawsuit is that the authorities became aware of these alleged abuses, because every day Americans filed a whistleblower complaint,” said Harry F. Bell, a founding partner of The Bell Law Firm.
Multiple federal agencies and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) investigated the allegations in the whistleblower complaints before the government intervened in the three separate lawsuits, which were then consolidated. In recent years, the federal government has paid greater attention to financial fraud.
Since May 2009, the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action (HEAT), a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, has placed renewed emphasis on health care fraud. The initiative has successfully recovered billions of dollars by using the False Claims Act to pursue and sue companies attempting to defraud Medicaid and Medicare.
The details in the complaint filed by the government are extensive. At one point, on page 30 of the complaint[2], the government cited alleged internal emails from ManorCare corporate officers directing regional centers and rehabilitation therapists to “think creatively” about ways to bill unnecessary services.
The False Claims Act and its state equivalents provide an essential legal vehicle to hold for-profit nursing home companies responsible for the care they provide to vulnerable adults.
“When people defraud the government, first, they are providing medically unnecessary treatments to vulnerable adults in nursing home facilities, and second, they are extracting monies from taxpayers,” emphasized Bell.
The Bell Law Firm’s robust nursing home practice targets nursing home abuses and recognizes the role that whistleblowers play in combating nursing home abuse and financial fraud.
Visit http://www.belllaw.com/ for more information on how you can spot and stop nursing home abuse with tips from The Bell Law Firm.
About The Bell Law Firm
With the legal and technical resources necessary to litigate the most complex personal injury cases, The Bell Law Firm is proud to represent injury and accident victims from their office in Charleston, West Virginia.
Having recovered millions of dollars for personal injury victims, the experienced attorneys at The Bell Law Firm work closely with their clients to successfully deliver justice on their behalf. For more information or for a free, no-obligation case review, visit belllaw.com or call 1-844-700-4900.
The Bell Law Firm
Charleston Office
30 Capitol Street
Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: 304-345-1700
Toll Free: 844-700-4900
[1] See United States ex rel. Ribik v. ManorCare, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:09cv13-CMH-HCB (E.D. Va.); United States ex rel. Slough v. HCR ManorCare, et al., Case No. 1:14cv1228 (E.D. Va.); and United States ex rel. Carson v. HCR ManorCare, et al., Case No. 1:11cv1054 (E.D. Va.).
[2] See Complaint, section, 129.
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The Bell Law Firm
Harry Bell
304-345-1700
Harry Bell
304-345-1700
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