Latest news with #hospicecare
CBS News
03-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
2 West Covina women arrested for alleged $4.8 million hospice care fraud
The U.S. Department of Justice announced that two West Covina women were arrested Tuesday for an alleged scheme to defraud Medicare of $4.8 million with false hospice care claims. One of the women who was arrested is the owner and operator of two West Covina hospices, Golden Meadows Hospice Inc., and D'Alexandria Hospice Inc., which billed Medicare for hospice services for patients who were allegedly not terminally ill. Between Sept. 2018 and Oct. 2022, owner and operator Normita Sierra, 71, and an accomplice, Rowena Elegado, 55, collected more than $3.8 million from Medicare on false claims, the DOJ said. Sierra, of West Covina, is charged with nine counts of healthcare fraud, one count of conspiracy, and four counts of illegal remuneration for healthcare referrals. Elegado, also of West Covina, is charged with one count of conspiracy, and four counts of illegal remuneration for health care referrals. Sierra and Elegado allegedly worked together to pay marketers to recruit patients to the hospices, knowing that most of those patients had not been referred by their primary care physicians for such services. According to the DOJ, once enrolled, the fraudulent patients rarely died in hospice care and were often discharged after six months, with payouts reaching as much as $1,300 per patient each month they stayed in hospice service. Others involved in the alleged scheme include Carl Bernardo, 53, of Chino, who pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of receiving kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program, and Relyndo Salcedo, 60, of Fontana, a nurse practitioner who pleaded guilty on May 22 to one count of health care fraud. According to the DOJ, Salcedo was pressured to admit ineligible patients into the hospice and then exaggerated and falsified the patients' conditions to make them seem terminally ill. If convicted of the charges, Sierra would face a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count of healthcare fraud. Sierra and Elegado would face up to five years in federal prison for the conspiracy count and up to 10 years in federal prison for each illegal kickback count. The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General and the FBI investigated the matter.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Scotney Castle field of butterflies set up for hospice patients
A special remembrance space has been created at a National Trust castle for families to reflect and remember loved ones who received hospice care. Hospice in the Weald teamed up with Scotney Castle near Lamberhurst in Kent to install the Meadow of Memories which features more than 450 handcrafted steel butterflies dedicated to Edwards from Kent, whose father Terry was cared for at the Tunbridge Wells-based Hospice in the Weald, said: "I know first-hand what families go through during one of the darkest times of their life."Being able to come to the garden and see the butterfly that I've dedicated for my dad has been really special." More than 400 supporters have purchased a butterfly and so far more than £29,000 has been raised for the Edwards added: "The care the hospice's team gave to my dad, and our whole family, was nothing short of phenomenal. "We have dedicated a butterfly in memory of my dad, and I am so proud to be involved with this initiative." Katie Greywood, director of income generation at Hospice in the Weald, said the hospice was "honoured" to launch the remembrance display. "As a cherished local landmark, Scotney Castle offers the perfect setting to pause, remember, and find comfort in shared tribute," she said."As a powerful symbol of change and renewal, the butterfly sculptures have resonated with our dedicated supporters whose loved ones were cared for by the hospice."The Meadows of Memories will be at the castle until 26 May. On the same day, supporters who have dedicated a butterfly will attend a special remembrance ceremony.
RNZ News
13-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
The Panel with Paula Penfold & Phil O'Reilly (Part 1)
Tonight on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Paula Penfold & Phil O'Reilly. The three of them discuss: a lack of funding for hospice care. Plus, do we need to re -think how we provide training for apprentices? Paula Penfold is an investigative journalist at stuff Phil O'Reilly is a global business leader, advocate and MD of Iron Duke Partners Totara Hospice Photo: RNZ / Yiting Lin
