October 1, 2015

Nurses’ Registry and Home Health Corporation and the Estate of its former owner, the deceased Lennie House, agreed to pay $16 million to resolve allegations that Nurses’ Registry, at the direction of Lennie House, violated the False Claims Act by fraudulently billing Medicare for medically unnecessary home health services and for services tainted by kickbacks provided by the company and House to local physicians and others who referred patients to Nurses’ Registry.  According to the government, Nurses’ Registry falsified medical records to make it appear as if patients had a medical need for skilled nursing or therapy services, or appear as if the patients were homebound.  In addition to billing Medicare for unnecessary or non-reimbursable home health services, Nurses’ Registry and House provided tickets to athletic events and concerts, and provided other things of value, to doctors and referral sources in order to induce or reward patient referrals.  The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed by former employees Alisia Robinson-Hill and David Price under thequi tam provisions of the False Claims Act.  They will receive a yet-to-be-determined whistleblower award from the settlement proceeds.  DOJ (KY)

Tagged in: Anti-Kickback and Stark, FCA Federal, Home Health and Hospice, Lack of Medical Necessity, Medical Billing Fraud, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,