Washington D.C. Terminates Six Home Health Agencies Following Investigation

The Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) announced Friday that it will terminate six home care agencies from Washington, D.C.’s Medicaid program, following their alleged involvement in a recent fraud investigation.

Effective July 15, 2014, the six providers that will receive termination notices include ABA Home Health Care; Nursing Enterprises; Nursing Unlimited; T&N Reliable Nursing Care; Global; and Vizion One.

Under terms of its Medicaid agreement, DHCF may terminate a provider’s participation in the federal program without cause upon 90 days written notice. 

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In April, DHCF sent a 90-day notice of intent to terminate the Medicaid provider agreement to 13 home care agencies under investigation for fraud by the Office of the Inspector General. 

DHCF reached a settlement with three providers and rescinded the notice of termination, while two providers requested and were granted additional time to respond. Two additional providers are still under review. 

Following the termination actions, DHCF has contracted with six additional vendors to provide personal care aide services to beneficiaries that require them.

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Over the next seven weeks, DHCF will work with residents who need Medicaid home care services to ensure an “orderly transition” of all beneficiaries, said the agency’s Director Wayne Turnage in a statement.

“I want to assure District Medicaid residents who are in need of personal care services that we have the capacity to continue to provide them with necessary services,” he stated.

The issue of fraud remains a growing concern for the home health industry as federal regulators continue to investigate fraudulent practices and recover millions of dollars from fraudulent actions toward the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Earlier this month, the Department of Health and Human Services, in conjunction with several law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, netted 89 arrests for alleged Medicare fraud schemes totaling approximately $223 million in false billings.

Written by Jason Oliva

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