False Claim Act
Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers Inc. nursing home chain will pay the United States $4 million for submitting false claims to Medicare and the Texas Medicaid program, the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas announced today. The Victoria, Texas-based chain currently owns and operates 24 nursing home facilities located through the state. The amount they stole it undetermined. The charges included false hours and payment for services not rendered to residents.
The False Claims Act settlement resolves allegations that Regency submitted claims for reimbursement to Medicare and Medicaid for rehabilitation and skilled nursing services that were not reimbursable because the nursing home residents were not qualified for the services, the services were not medically necessary, or they were not supported by adequate documentation.
"Nursing home providers participating in Medicare should be on notice that taxpayers will not absorb the costs of improper or false billings submitted to the government and that the Department of Justice will take action against them for submitting such claims," said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Department's Civil Division.
