Recently, the New York State Office of the Attorney General announced that a New York nursing home chain, Elant, settled with its office for $600,000 stemming from claims that they benefited financially by prolonging residents’ stays longer than necessary. The nursing home chain admitted that several patients who were meant to be short term were transferred to one of their locations in financial peril. The transfer was against the wishes and consent of the residents and their families, and was meant to generate income for the location and assist in remedying the financial condition. Attorney General Schneiderman remarked that his office is dedicated to combating such practices and will “find those who use patients to siphon off critical taxpayer funds.”
Recently, the New York State Office of the Attorney General announced that a New York nursing home chain, Elant, settled with its office for $600,000 stemming from claims that they benefited financially by prolonging residents’ stays longer than necessary. The nursing home chain admitted that several patients who were meant to be short term were transferred to one of their locations in financial peril. The transfer was against the wishes and consent of the residents and their families, and was meant to generate income for the location and assist in remedying the financial condition. Attorney General Schneiderman remarked that his office is dedicated to combating such practices and will “find those who use patients to siphon off critical taxpayer funds.”
The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the New York State Department of Health engaged in a joint investigation that revealed the illegalities occurring. The agencies discovered that the practice of retaining patients longer than necessary was aimed at patients who were the recipients of Medicare or Medicaid. The patients were also provided with additional and unnecessary services during the period of delay despite the fact that the patients were seeking to be discharged.
Also resulting from the investigation were the license revocations of two former Chief Executives of the nursing home chain, and two former administrators. Both former CEOs and an additional administrator voluntarily surrendered their licenses. Additionally, the Attorney General is overseeing that new practices be put in place at Elant to safeguard the patients’ best interests and prevent the exploitation of vulnerable residents. The chain is also required to enter into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General.
If you believe that your loved one has been mistreated or been taken advantage of by a nursing home, contact an experienced attorney who has the skill and knowledge to handle such matters. The Law Offices of Tanya Hobson-Williams has handled numerous nursing home claims including those of abuse and neglect. For more information, call the Law Offices of Tanya Hobson-Williams toll free at (866) 825-1529 or (718) 210-4744.
