San Diego nursing homes agree to pay up to $6.9 million to settle kickback and fraud allegations
Four San Diego nursing homes have agreed to pay up to $6.9 million to settle civil allegations that employees paid kickbacks for referrals and submitted fraudulent bills to government healthcare programs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.
The nursing homes, all owned by Los Angeles-based Brius Management Co., were accused of paying kickbacks to hospital staffers in violation of anti-kickback laws, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
The four nursing homes were Point Loma Convalescent Hospital, Brighton Place in San Diego, Brighton Place in Spring Valley and Amaya Springs Health Care Center in Spring Valley, according to the news release. Brius Management could not be reached for comment.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit brought by a former employee of one of the nursing homes under federal whistleblower laws, the statement said. The employee, Viki Bell-Manako, will receive 20 percent of each settlement payment.
Read more: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/sd-me-nursing-homes-20171116-story.html
