tagged w/ springhill group
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A Los Angeles man was sentenced to six years in prison last week for his role in a power wheelchair scam, topping what prosecutors say has been a series of Medicare fraud cases.
David James Garrison, 50, a former physician assistant, was found guilty by a federal jury for his role in submitting $18.9 million in fraudulent Medicare claims for power wheelchairs and other equipment.
The wheelchair case is the third time Garrison has been accused of Medicare fraud.
In 2009, Garrison pleaded no contest to tax evasion for his role in what prosecutors described as a fraudulent medical clinic. He pleaded not guilty in October to charges that he forged prescriptions as part of an OxyContin ring that sold 1 million pills on the streets. That case is ongoing.
Garrison's attorney did not return a call for comment about the cases.
Garrison's physician assistant license lapsed in 2009, said Russ Heimerich, a spokesman for the Department of Consumer Affairs, which oversees many state licensing boards. He said the board examined the tax evasion case and did not see it as grounds for discipline.
According to court documents, Garrison's cases involved the use of “cappers” or “marketers” who recruited Medicare beneficiaries to submit to unneeded care or hand over their personal information. That information was used to bill the program for medications, services or supplies that the patients didn’t need.
In the wheelchair case, prosecuted by the Los Angeles U.S. attorney's office, one witness testified that marketers had to recruit beneficiaries as far as 300 miles from Los Angeles because so many local people had already been used in other fraud schemes.A Los Angeles man was sentenced to six years in prison last week for his role in a... more
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Asian shares edged down in choppy trade on Monday, encouraged by a fresh report of a potential framework for the European Central Bank's new bond buying scheme, as well as hopes of a strong easing from the Federal Reserve.
Central bank sources told Reuters on Friday that the ECB is considering setting yield band targets under the bond-buying program to shield its strategy from speculators, but the decision would not be made before its Sept. 6 policy meeting.
There is a dearth of major economic data in Asia on Monday, meaning the market's focus in the short-term will remain fixed on Europe, with longer-term focus on the annual U.S. Jackson Hole meeting of central bankers and economists later this week.
The FTSE CNBC Asia 100 Index [.FTFCNBCA 6030.29 58.37 (+0.98%)], which measures markets across Asia, slipped 0.7 percent.
Seoul stocks edged down slightly as Samsung shares slumped after a U.S. court ruled against Samsung Electronics in a smartphone patent claim by Apple [AAPL 676.27 6.04 (+0.9%) ].
The slump offset news that rating agency Moody's had upgraded South Korea's credit rating to match those of China and Japan.
Samsung Electronics closed down 7.5 percent, its largest single-session drop since Oct 2008 that wiped $12 billion from its market capitalization since Friday.
Other group companies included in Samsung's smartphone manufacturing value chain were also hit, with Samsung C&T Corp, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, and Samsung SDI all down 1 to 6 percent.Asian shares edged down in choppy trade on Monday, encouraged by a fresh report of a... more
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — A 41-year-old Las Vegas health care worker has been ordered to pay restitution for her role in a Medicaid scam.
Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto announced Monday that Felicia Wesley was sentenced to pay back $4,000 and spend 60 days in jail, although she won't have to serve the time if she follows through on her other obligations.
Masto says Wesley likely be banned from providing health care through government programs in the future.
Officials say Wesley was part of a personal care program that helps patients with bathing, dressing, chores and cooking. Investigators say Wesley was not working at a patient's home during the times she said she was.
Wesley pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of submitting false claims and petty theft. She was sentenced Aug. 22.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Home-health-care-worker-sentenced-in-Medicaid-scam-3819088.php#ixzz25R558ZxFLAS VEGAS (AP) — A 41-year-old Las Vegas health care worker has been ordered to... more
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Delays in the final stage of a legislation that will provide homecare workers with overtime pay and minimum wage is making the sector nervous that it may not go through in time.
The Companionship Services Exemption, enacted in 1974 by Congress, is meant to exclude casual companions for the senior citizens and babysitters from minimum wage requirements and overtime pay and not to waive government pay guidelines for professionally-trained caregivers.
And after years of failed attempts in changing the guidelines, US President has announced last year of plans to alter the exemption and apply the wage protections to homecare workers under private agencies. Because of this almost 1.8 million homecare workers will potentially see a pay increase under this plan.
However, after extending the period of public comment for two times, the Labor Department has not finalize the rule change yet and will need to be approved by the President and published in the National Register — all before it takes any effect, apparently for scam prevention.
The workforce comprising the homecare industry is made up of minorities, older women or immigrants who provide services that are not covered in the expected law, such as giving medications, preparing meals and helping in physical therapy. And due to the __ benefits, low pay and laborious work, the homecare industry is seeing an increase in its turnover rate.
Many are anxious that this could lead to shortages in workforce, especially as the demand is expected to increase.
Such postponement makes the labor groups wary of what might be the results. In 2000, President Clinton attempted to close the exemption but the incoming President Bush halted the progress. Fearing a similar occurrence in this coming election, they are calling for a quicker action lest the next administration will side with the industry.
Legal co-director of National Employment Law Project said, “I think there’s a high probability that that could happen. We are very concerned about the delays, especially given the history with these regulations.”
According to the Labor Department, even as the plan is still on the agenda there is no provided timeframe for its accomplishment.
Some groups remarked that requiring overtime and higher pay will harm the thousands of small-time homecare agencies that compose the bulk of the industry financially.
Moreover, they argue, this could force patients to hire independent aides who might not have the same standard of qualifications and training.
“We believe that eliminating the companionship exemption will force many seniors and people with disabilities into assisted living or institutional care because of the increased cost of in-home care,” said the chairman of the Private Duty Homecare Association.Delays in the final stage of a legislation that will provide homecare workers with... more
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