The DOJ Fraud Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Pennsylvania Attorney General today announced criminal charges against 19 defendants, including owners and employees of home care companies, for their alleged participation in various fraud schemes involving over four million dollars in claims to Medicare and Medicaid.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General also announced a plea agreement involving the final defendant in a previously-charged 21 defendant case involving over $1.7 million in claims.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and senior federal and state officials hold a press conference announcing a significant health care fraud takedown and a new Anti-Fraud Initiative in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
To emphasize the scope of the fraud in California and New York Dr Oz notes, “the number one job in the entire state is personal care services.” (WATCH – prompted):
DOJ Press Release – […] The defendants’ conduct was characterized by extraordinary greed. In one case, the Pennsylvania Attorney General charged a purported home health aide who claimed to have provided services to up to seven Medicaid recipients at once. On over 1,100 occasions, the defendant allegedly claimed to have provided care for more than 24 hours in a single day, totaling over 64,000 hours that could not have been worked.
As alleged, Medicaid paid over $1.2 million as a result of the scheme. Another defendant who was charged in today’s announcement, a purported aide, claimed to have worked over 8,700 overlapping hours. As alleged, there were nearly 400 days on which the defendant claimed to be working for more than 24 hours in a day. The defendant allegedly caused over $180,000 in loss to Medicaid. In another case, a defendant was charged who claimed to have provided over 1,300 hours of home care services for a Medicaid recipient who was himself incarcerated on state drug charges. A defendant in one case was captured on a recorded conversation stating that “this home health care is the best kept secret . . . I made a buck plus [each of] the last five years, that’s, that’s a half a million dollars . . . I ain’t checking on nobody.” (read more)
Excellent! Now do election fraud.
But the news says there was no election fraud.
The squeakiest cleanest election ever, so they say.
Do you believe the news? I don’t.
Harmeet Dhillon is on that. She has sued 30 states and DC for their voter rolls to compare them to fed databases to see which registrations are fraudulent. Naturally, states have resisted and the issue is moving through the courts.
Paging judge bo ass burg
We don’t have a national debt problem, we have a national fraud problem.
And it all goes back to tooooo much gvt.
Kudzu strangles everything in it’s path.
With all the fraud being reported, fully half of the entire federal budget must be consumed by fraud, waste, and abuse. These 19 defendants can only be but a drop in the bucket for just this one particular kind of fraud. Small numbers of prosecutions here and there are not going to fix this. There needs to be significant reform of that program, if not just get rid of it altogether.
I think one of the problems is that while Medicaid was initiated in the 1960s as a 50/50 federal/state matching program, the way the funding was designed is that it has evolved (or devolved) into approximately a 90/10 federal/state match today and is getting worse. Plus, what it covers keeps expanding. The states are administering it, but hardly funding it. The original formula needs to be restored. The states won’t care what happens until their own budgets begin paying for most of it, and even then they might not care.
I’m glad they are going after these crimes. However, none of that money will ever be recovered. It is gone forever.
The real cure will be preventing these disbursements. I for one would rather read about xxx millions of dollars that were NOT paid out to these criminals AND the perpetrators have been arrested awaiting trial for fraud.
” However, none of that money will ever be recovered. It is gone forever.”
Cease ALL of their properties, ALL!!. Bank accounts, automobiles, homes, jewelry, garnish future wages for life,
take from their S. Security benefits, it may not fully be paid back but these thieves have had their riches for a lifetime and it’s time they start over and go back home
Perhaps you mean seize?
Thank you. Incorrect usage
Who, the politicians? That’s the ones doing this. Why would they turn a blind eye for decades, decades. They get in power to sell us out.
Actually, I believe their assets will be seized and sold with the proceeds going back to the government.
The Democrat cartel in California, alone, stole hundreds of billions of dollars over the past five years.
Cartel, no “democrat” it’s all just “cartel”. We see names, distinctions, they use that to lie into power.
Excellent idea that would change behavior quickly!
“I think one of the problems is that while Medicaid was initiated in the 1960s as a 50/50 federal/state matching program, the way the funding was designed is that it has evolved (or devolved) into approximately a 90/10 federal/state match today and is getting worse. Plus, what it covers keeps expanding. The states are administering it, but hardly funding it. The original formula needs to be restored. The states won’t care what happens until their own budgets begin paying for most of it, and even then they might not care.”
It’s a 50/50 program where the national politicians steal half and the locals steal the other half.
You can’t see the mistake you made? GOVERNMENT RUN, once you get the program they own you. We are stupid sheep to allow a single government program, look at what we have. $39,000,000,000,000 debt and just about the same number of government handout programs and growing…….to fix the failures they “made”. It’s by design a failure to our nation.
We see only our past, the words and ideas, and can’t see what is happening right in front of us.
Glad you point that out “federal budget” you think just maybe it’s on purpose, just maybe? This is “backdoor” stuff that gets the rich richer. You want to be a billionaire? Sell out the nation and they will get you elected.
I am sure there are some, but I never see a Republican ripping off the system like this.
What I do see is Republicans standing up along side their “good friends” from the other side of the aisle, telling everyone how the system needs MORE MONEY so that they can keep “providing this care to the people.” Tha is so they can keep the scam going. So, How are the Rips and Rinos cut in on the action?
But don’t worry, my friends. The elections are secure!
Election integrity is managed by the same government bureaucracy that monitors and approves Medicaid claims. Except every once in awhile they’ll bust a Medicaid fraudster.
We need higher taxes, we’re not keeping pace with the fraud.
“We need higher taxes, we’re not keeping pace with the fraud.”
Democrats:
“Good point, tax the rich……and everyone is rich (but us, we won’t tax*US*!)!!!”
This country runs on fraud. Who knows how many BILLIONS of dollars goes to fraud. Stolen from taxpayers. Printed by Treasury. Borrowed from foreign governments. A good chunk of that to political groups with the FULL KNOWLEDGE of the politicians. Most (not all) don’t want it to stop, just look like they are trying to stop it.
California’s entire economy is built on Fraud and looting the Federal Govt’…… Notice the shifts in the money flow. As Vance and Trump shutdown their Healthcare fraud….. they shifted to the new Commie 5% tax on Billionaires to fill part of the hole…. LMAO
A 5% tax on billionaires means that the rich simply move to another state. We in Florida are being invaded!!!
Tennessee too!
Another perfect example of the economic truism that when something is subsidized, more of that something is demanded and quality diminishes. To paraphrase: good government, to the extent that it ought to be allowed, is that which is allowed to govern least.
Now, I do wonder about the claims data-entry systems! They should be able to detect and immediately flag questionable claims and providers before payment is tendered. For example, did you book more than 24 hours in a day? Do the time ranges impossibly overlap?
Being a computer geek, I can easily envision a batch process that is run as the first step of preparing a batch of claims for disbursement. It should be looking for typographic errors, and it should be looking for basic fraud. The questionable batches should then be flagged for human review.
If the system that is in place allowed this sort of fraud to take place, and did so for years, then obviously there is a complete lack of reasonable financial controls in the disbursements process.
Last year DOGE was trying to help institute the very “checks on claims” you describe.
The Courts and Congress refused to allow it for “privacy and personal data security reasons”. The same reasons being used to stop election security reforms, in the Courts and congress.
Court orders continuation of fraud.
Our Democracy.
Our courts are a fraud.
The very people who are SUPPOSED to be good stewards over the taxpayers money.
What more proof do we need some of this is finding its’ way back to dirty politicians and judges?
And there you have it. DOGE knew how to put checks and balances up front and the crooked judges and politicians said “Oh no! You’re not messing with our grift!”
I find it hard to believe that in this day and age of AI that this shit happens all the time. There is nothing in place to send up a red flag That a person is charging way way out of line? Something is not passing the smell test here. And the best part is that we never recover the stolen money back.
Nobody monitors anything in the government payout systems especially when they are involved.
How can billions upon billions be stolen in Minnesota and caught by nobody?
Over 400 fraudulent entities in one building alone should raise the biggest red flag there is and not one damn thing happened to any of them fraudulent “Health Care” frauds
“How can billions upon billions be stolen in Minnesota and caught by nobody?”
Nick Shirley caught it. He was a nobody, too.
The payout system is built on trust.
Since it’s proven we are not a high trust society, the solution is to immediately shut down the payment system until safeguards and accountability are put into place. If a program is unable to be guarded, such as self-report home healthcare, than that program must be eliminated.
The amount of fraud in this country…and the others in the ‘global realm’, is astounding. I can’t wrap my head around these ‘heists of taxpayer money’. Am feeling like thieves outnumber the honest working person.
Everybody wants to get in on the act. And with no apparent oversight, is it any wonder. The examples provided of this case are so ridiculously obvious that these overpayments are just being rubber stamped. The individuals who are supposed to administer the medicare program should be jailed and heavily fined also.
(reposting this article for the umpteenth time since 2018)
In 2018 I bookmarked this article on Somalis flying out of Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport weekly with suitcases filled with millions of dollars stolen from American public assistance programs.
“Millions of dollars in suitcases fly out of MSP, but why?”
“Published May 14, 2018 2:00pm CDT”
“On the morning of March 15, Fox 9 chased a tip about a man who was leaving the country. Sources said he took a carry-on bag through security that was packed with $1 million in cash. Travelers can do that, as long as they fill out the proper government forms.”
“Fox 9 learned that these cloak-and-dagger scenarios now happen almost weekly at MSP. The money is usually headed to the Middle East, Dubai and points beyond. Sources said last year alone, more than $100 million in cash left MSP in carry-on luggage.”
https://www.fox9.com/news/millions-of-dollars-in-suitcases-fly-out-of-msp-but-why
Of the hundreds of Somalians in Minnesota that stole 9 billion $$$ by fraud, only 19 have been arrested and charged with the crime…
Walz and Ellison are lovin’ it too.
Purely anecdotal but, I suspect, accurate: I frequently shop at a popular thrift store. Every time I went in, no matter the day of the week, a woman in Somali garb (yes, I looked up pictures for a comparison) was in the store purchasing half a dozen suitcases. I noticed this for at least a year, maybe longer. She was in there so often I heard the store employees greet her by name. Then the fraud investigations began. I haven’t seen her since. Just sayin’
Sounds like they are sending cash abroad. They also buy barrels for shipping and fill them with stuff they bought with EBT cards and send them home.
And the Taxpayer funded Transportation Security Administration is so busy making sure my bottle of saline nasal spray doesn’t get on the plane. And making sure the metal rod next to my leg isn’t a bomb by feeling up both legs and swabbing my shoes just in case.
Millions of dollars a week? Who cares?
How evil will the evil get?
We are seeing horror we never thought we’d see.
When obiden installed all the corrupt judges, so fast, they did what we need to do in reverse, or our society is gone.
President Trump is dismantling their $$$$. Will it dismantle the anarchy, the anti America judges? We pray it will.
Against the rules and off topic. What’s with the new conservative treehouse logo? Not loving it. FWIW
What do you mean “new conservative treehouse logo”? I don’t see anything different.
I see nothing different on my browser.
Also there has been a couple different logos through the years if memory serves me.
Names
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/dozens-charged-health-care-fraud-federal-and-state-cases-involving-576-million
Peanuts compared to Minnesota which has yet to see anyone prosecuted with billions and billions being stolen by foreigners and looting local politicians all the way to the top in Minnesota including the AG Nation of Islam member.
“WE ARE COMING FOR YOU”
Yep, if you are “low-hanging fruit”, but if you are a big wig politician that permitted the fraud, you are home free…
Limit the government and limit the fraud. It’s that simple.
California fraud will surpass all other fraud discovered to date.
Retired Magistrate here: I am glad to see that people are finally recognizing that white collar crime is really a crime and numerous people are injured by it.
Many years ago I started the Ohio Department of Insurance Fraud Division, and we uncovered a huge mortgage fraud scam in Cleveland, Ohio and after about 4 years of investigation we were able to get a conviction and jail time against the perpetrators. Unfortunately the last day in office, Ohio Governor Richard Celeste, a Democrat. pardoned the perpetrators because he didn’t think that white collar crime was really a crime; it was no big deal.
Of course it was a big deal to the home owners who lost everything due to the fraud, but that didn’t matter to Celeste. This was back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s when many individuals didn’t think any type of insurance fraud was any big deal either. Over the last decade that philosophy has been proven wrong. Glad to see that people are stating to be held accountable.
Tip of iceberg. Every county, every state. Some more than others. Guess we have to start somewhere. Wait until they get to the hospitals where a city municipality and or county has part ownership. It is going to be so ugly.
With Ai now it should be able to easily spot fraud…
There not even complicated schemes and lengthy money trails. Just blatant lies that a nine year old would see through.
“… a nine year old would see through.” And yet, up until now nobody in authority ever did notice this was going on.
I’m sick and tired of paying taxes for this kind of crap.
Somalis again?
In state or local gov’t, the office of Attorney General is traditionally the best place to launch a successful political career.
How fortunate that the Trump Administration has spotlighted a fat, juicy target for Attorneys General all over the USA to target.
If you’re an AG who aspires to higher office, what could win greater voter approval than to successfully prosecute fraud & corruption that wastes public tax money?
Drop in a bucket
The Pennsylvania Attorney General also announced a plea agreement….🥱
In the past when legislators talked about strengthening the federal budget, they always talked about “reducing” fraud and abuse in our federal programs. I always thought it was a joke….how can you defraud the medicare and medicaid systems to that extend? Well now I understand , I had no idea how easy it was to defraud the government entitlement programs…..and no other president had tried to attack the corruption and fraud until president Trump. We owe him a great deal of gratitude to open our eyes and get rid of all these leeches stealing our hard earn money.
Covid testing companies got paid for every test and more if it was a positive one. Ever wonder why the tester would insert that swab far up your nose? Better chances for a positive test.
Home of the grift, Land of the fraud. Rules for me but not for thee. Government is a crime cartel (with nuclear weapons), so crooked even the President cannot straighten it out. (I know, he’s trying.)
Listen to this one minute and 9 second explanation of how much the “program” grew in Pennsylvania from its inception starting in year 2019 to a few years later. Some care givers didn’t even live in the USA while billing for “services”. Some were in prison. It is mind boggling how much money was shoved out the door with no regard to fiscal responsibility or honesty.
Now let’s see them all get significant jail-time sentences AND/OR pay back every single penny they stole.
The pattern seems to be that Dem dominated states or enclaves seem to be rife with care service and welfare fraud.
This should be fun watching Newsom explain when he runs. Forget Kammie…..if its not fixed she ll crash and burn like she akways does.
Why are we accepting plea agreements? This usually works in favor of the criminal. Put these guys away for life and let it known to everyone. That’s why these crimes happen in the first place. Criminals know there is little to no consequences for the crime. If they are caught, they plea bargain for a lesser sentence. Steal a couple of million, give back only a fraction and your out of jail in a couple years. That’s incentive not deterrence.
It costs big $$$$$$$ to go to trial and then resources are spent on preparing for court and actual trials instead of arresting these people, taking the guilty plea, deporting them if they qualify, and getting restitution.
There are WAAAAAAY too many of them to spend resources on trials.
Too bad our legislators (lobbyists who write legislation) cannot understand the concept of ongoing and spot audits and limit-checks in computer processing so that some of this fraud can be caught years earlier!
Oh, they understand. Look at how broke the democrat party is now. Between DOGE-ing NGOs, NPR, USAID and breaking apart their Government Handout Fraud we are now learning how they stayed in business.
This is how they all made money and could go from a 1 bedroom apartment to a multi-million dollar mansion within a few years.
The Democrats Pretend to be broke. Someone from another country will bail them out and they know it. AOC isn’t worried, she is worth millions.
My mom had to pay for her own in-home care.
Since I was the program manager, I knew the quality of the personnel, the care & the quantity of care that she was getting.
For those I was unsure of… I bought surveillance cameras placed inside the weirdest, common everyday household things.
It makes me super angry that her, my & all of your tax💰is wasted on theives stealing from all of us & the poor that cannot get care but for the theft.
That’s another issue but not talked about today.
Loved ones had people within their homes that very easily could be staking out the house, belongings, surrounding, etc.
I was aware that my mom could be a target of abuse & theft so I trusted no one. Not even family members.
I believe in not presenting people with temptations so many things were removed from the premises or very well hidden & plenty of surveillance was deployed.
Take no chances… with your loved one’s overall safety.
Wow.
Their version of fighting fraud is too little, too slow, and too pathetic to work.
Something more dramatic is needed.
How many $300k a year attorneys did it take?
How many hundred hours were billed to Federal government to get 19 defendants charged?
Fire the entire Federal Government. They are failures!!!
Click the link in the press release summary to read the whole press release. It’s extensive and the summary is not covering the most egregious crooks.
Does anyone ever go to jail? Is any of this stolen money ever recovered?
Headlines are nice but real accountability is better.
grok says it will take 467 years to prosecute all the scammers at the current rate of prosecutions.
Find a different way. Maybe make everyone requalify in person.
As I said above; DOGE can put checks on the input that will eliminate a lot of fraud.
The Bills of Indictment were all for defendants of one ethnicity. It was not Caucasian.
Arrested in PA for a few million fraud Im Philadelphia but the article refers to CA and NY. I know they did a big fraud takedown in Los Angeles but haven’t heard a peep about NY or any other big cities, except Minneapolis of course.
I live in PA. I have been applying for Act 150 which is a program in PA that pays you to care for a family member. My son is dying. I started the process in March and am now appealing their decision to deny him because they say he cannot handle his legal affairs. He had a will, a living will and a POA document drawn up less than a year ago. He has no legal issues. I went in Monday and got a 6 month leave of absence from work so I can care for him. I have no income coming in other than widows benefits which wont be enough. Reading about these fraudsters just fills me with cold anger. Its not just that they are stealing taxpayer money, they make it harder for those with true needs to get help. Selfish scum.
When no one is minding the store, things go missing.
Government financial and business systems at all levels of government operate like sieves.
Some are worse than others, but they are all full of holes.
It is time to get the federal government completely out of the Medicaid funding business. Make it a state run and state funded program. That way if blue states like NY and CA are OK with massive levels of fraud, people in FL and TX don’t have to underwrite it.
Small potatoes …..Look….See
The same players are likely involved in ballot fraud.
Press this bunch. Get some higher ups.
Wow! Now what about the other 40 million, or should I say 40,000,000 makes a better impression.
All invaders should have a sticker on their new shiny car we buy them that has a picture of an invader pissing on the word “laws”. Maybe a sign saying “what’s in your wallet, mine has your money”. Our government is not failing it’s doing exactly what it is intended to do.