February 28, 2020

Nursing home chain Diversicare Health Services, Inc. has agreed to pay $9.5 million to resolve whistleblower-brought allegations of submitting claims to Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary rehabilitation therapy services.  According to separate qui tam complaints by former employees, Mary Haggard and Bryant Fitzmorris, between 2010 to 2015, Diversicare unnecessarily placed beneficiaries in the highest category of reimbursement in order to receive higher payouts, and submitted forged pre-admission evaluation certifications to Medicaid.  As part of the settlement, Diversicare has entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement for five years, Haggard will receive approximately $1.4 million, and Fitzmorris will receive approximately $145,450.  DOJ; USAO MDTN

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Lack of Medical Necessity, Medicaid, Medicare, SNF, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,