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Hospitals used homeless in Medicare fraud

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They allegedly used Los Angeles skid row homeless to fill empty beds and boost revenue. A federal grand jury has indicted 2 figures in the case, and L.A. City Atty. Delgadillo announces civil litigation.

FBI agents served search warrants this morning on three hospitals as part of an investigation into alleged Medicare fraud involving homeless patients who were recruited from skid row.

Dr. Rudra Sabaratnam, an owner and the chief executive of City of Angels Medical Center, and Estill Mitts, an alleged patient recruiter, were indicted by a federal grand jury last week on 21 counts of healthcare fraud, money laundering and income tax evasion.

At the same time, Los Angeles City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo announced civil litigation against the three hospitals and their operators in what officials said was a "scheme to defraud the Medi-Cal and Medicare programs out of millions of dollars."

Beginning at 8 a.m., agents working with the federal Department of Health and Human Services, the Internal Revenue Service and the California Department of Justice raided City of Angels Medical Center, Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center and Tustin Hospital and Medical Center.
merasyad

17 responses // Hospitals used homeless in Medicare fraud

  • The cheaters and thieves of this world cause the rest of us much grief and pains in our pockets.
    J_Jammer
  • Can it be that bad if they are getting a few homeless off the streets even for just a night?
    ivxx
    3 responses to this
  • Of course. The way the article tells it, it sounds like scumbag behavior. Maybe there's more to it, maybe not.
    frenchfly4
  • At least the homeless people had food, shelter, and good care for a couple days. Imagine how far that money the hospitals billed could have gone if it were used in a legitimate, efficient way to help the people rather than game the system.

    This country is a wreck.
    damnneargenius
  • Oh sure. Take the homeless in to stuff a quota, then toss them to the curb...literally!
    recommended by  merasyad
    huntre
    1 response to this
  • To the people who don't understand what happened here:

    These guys pulled in homeless people off the streets and then pretended to treat them and bill the government.

    All the while pocketing the money.
    recommended by  merasyad
    Saladin
  • Isn't it time to scrap the for profit medical system. I mean really it is time for socialized medicine and take the profit out. Heath care is a right not a privelage.
    recommended by  merasyad
    kennymotown
  • ^ Correct, health care is a right, but the current trend has been to take away our rights not grant us them.
    fauxsherrrr
  • Put them in prison for life. They have no respect for America or its citizens and don't deserve to live in civilized society.
    Robroy1
  • Did the homeless get any money for it??? If not they are scum for using their needyness... Ive been in a situation where I had to sleep in a tent/on churchsteps for a good while. There is no need to benefit from people who have no way to get out of that situation.
    regjoeschmo
  • YOU ARE YOUR OWN GOVERNMENT!!!!!!
    kuruption
  • don't hospitals operate under a strict code of ethics?

    guess not.
    orangeseverywhere
  • Many of the people of skid row do need medical attention, but not this kind. This is why we need universal healthcare, so there's no motivation for such messed up practices.
    AndreaKnoll

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