A small-town nursing home in New Jersey recently agreed to pay a sum of $888,000 to resolve allegations that they had provided substandard or “worthless” care to patients over the course of a two-year Medicaid fraud scheme. From July 2010 to December 2012, Andover Subacute and Rehab Center Services Two Inc. billed New York Medicaid for treatments that were either not provided or failed to meet the federal standard of patient care. In the settlement, they paid $395,508 to the United States government and an additional $492,492 to the State of New York.
The facility in question has had a long-standing reputation in the community which clearly reflects the low quality metrics employed by staff. Allegations of neglect and blatant disregard for patient well-being have run rampant and have often resulted in considerable scrutiny from patients, loved ones, and third-party inspectors alike. In fact, the U.S. News Health Department has rated them as “below average” in every measurable aspect, including staffing, quality of medical care, and health inspections. The data compiled by U.S. News was staggering, clearly illustrating the issues outlined in the suit even up to their most recent assessment, which occurred in late 2016.
Among the negative reviews, the extensive inspection reports show that the nursing home failed to conduct background checks to ensure that potential staff members had no history of abuse or neglect in a medical setting – even reporting, without detail, that many residents were affected by this careless hiring practice. Further complaints within the report showed lack of accurate reporting pertaining to medical records, little to no pest control measurements, unsafe food handling and storage, and poor housekeeping/maintenance regimens – and unfortunately, that only scratches the surface.
The evaluation further states that this home commonly provided rehabilitation therapy, but would terminate the treatment within ten minutes after reaching the minimum required by the government for reimbursement purposes. Andover Subacute II would time rehab sessions based on federal standards versus patient needs for over 83% of those in their care. To put this in perspective, the New Jersey state average for this same practice is a mere 49% in comparison. The data goes on to describe the poor quality of medical care, continuing on to state that only 23% of patients were successfully discharged into the community – a significant drop from the 59% state average. Other numbers that varied greatly from the state and national averages include those regarding physical restraint, administration of anti-psychotic medications, and quantity of fire safety violations.
Although the settlement does not reflect any admissions of liability in the charges brought against the facility, the data compiled from these inspections seem to speak for themselves. However, in an effort to improve the quality of care provided, Andover Subacute II also entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Office of the Inspector General in order to ensure they are continually abiding by federal standards as well as accurately reporting any billable care provided. With these measures in place, it is hopeful that this nursing home can move forward from their previously insufficient care techniques and become a quality provider for those in need of skilled nursing services.
Whistleblower Justice Network Can Help You
Whistleblower Justice Network partners with whistleblowers to bring to justice those who knowingly defraud Medicaid or any other government healthcare program. We believe that the standards of healthcare should not be diminished in an effort to line the pockets of those fueled by greed, and seek like-minded individuals who prioritize the well-being of others over financial gain.
If you have meaningful information regarding nursing home fraud or any other scheme involving healthcare, Whistleblower Justice Network can help. Working alongside world-class legal counsel, we will ensure you are protected to the fullest extent of the law and that you receive credit for the information you bring to the U.S. government. Partnering with whistleblowers is all we do. Visit us at www.whistleblowerjustice.net, or call us at 844-WJN-4ALL.
