SENATE COMMITTEE ACCUSES COMPANIES OF BILKING MEDICARE

Senator Max Baucus Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee says that elderly patients in the Medicare system are being used as pawns to increase company profits, especially home healthcare companies. Investigators revealed internal memos showing that three of the nation’s largest health care companies told employees to increase the number of therapy sessions a patient received in a 60 day period. The three offenders identified include Amedidyd, LHC Group and Gentiva. Paymewnts for 60-day care sessions increase significantly when a patient receives six or 10 therapy visits, compared to smaller increases from one visit to two. LHC Group agreed to pay the federal government $65 million after being accused of false home healthcare billings to Medicare. Medicare and Medicaid fraud are the subject of major investigations by the Department of Justice.