Orange County Hospital Chain Treating Made-up Aliments
Everyone across the country has been infatuated with the state of
healthcare since the Supreme Court agreed to hear National Federation of
Independent Business v. Sebelius (also known as the Obamacare case). However,
this week an Orange County hospital chain took center stage.
Pacific Health Corp., an Orange County-based hospital chain agreed to
pay $16.5 million to the government. The settlement came after the hospital
chain was accused of conspiring to defraud government insurers Medicare and
Medi-Cal. The hospital-chain recently admitted that between 2003-2008 it
recruited homeless people from Skid Row in Los Angeles to undergo uncalled for
medical treatment that was later billed to the government. Pacific Health paid
more than $2.3 million to recruiters who sent the homeless men and woman to the
hospitals.
Hospital (Photo credit: José Goulão) |
The homeless recruits were usually admitted based on fabricated medical
forms. The patients would stay to be “treated” for a few days before being
released back to Skid Row with $20 cash for their trouble. The hospitals,
doctors, and staff would then bill for their services.
Pacific Health issued a statement on Thursday saying, "We are
pleased that we will now be able to put these matters behind us and focus
exclusively on our primary mission – providing excellent and compassionate care
to the communities we serve. We believe that ultimately our hospitals will be
stronger as a result of this agreement. PHC's new leadership team reaffirms its
unwavering commitment to ethical business practices and full compliance with
the law."
The government noted that although Pacific Health is being criminally
charged, the settlement calls for the charges to be dropped after six years if Pacific
Health abides by the agreement. Pacific Health has also reached a “corporate
integrity agreement” with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
which will be overseeing the hospital.
If you face a criminal charge in Orange County, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you in fighting your charges and/or reducing your sentence.
If you face a criminal charge in Orange County, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you in fighting your charges and/or reducing your sentence.
Labels: Fraud, homeless, medical fraud, Pacific Health Corp


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