CHEMED UNIT ACCUSED OF MEDICARE FRAUD PROVIDING HOSPICE CARE TO PEOPLE NOT DYING

Chemed Corp. the largest U.S. provider of hospice care is accused of defrauding the federal government by conspiring with health insurers to enroll Medicare patients who were not dying. The allegations were revealed in a whistleblower case taken by former employee. To be eligible for hospice, Medicare requires patients must have six months or less to live, certified by two doctors. Yet a patient can stay on hospice indefinitely, as long as a hospice doctor re-certifies their their terminal diagnosis every 60 days.