Hospice Fraud Investigation in California

On March 24, Republican lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee have started an investigation

into widespread fraud in California's hospice.

Programs funded by Medicare and Medicaid, led by Chairman James Comer from Kentucky,

their accusing Governor Gavin Newsom's administration of ignoring warning signs for

at least four years, and failing to provide proper oversight.

Earlier reports from CBS News highlighted hospice providers overbilling Medicare and signing

up patients without their consent.

A state audit in 2022 showed Los Angeles County saw 1,500 percent jump in hospice providers

since 2010, with over $1,25 million in overbilling in just one year.

Federal estimates now put potential fraud in that county alone, add up to $3.5 billion,

a big chunk of the national total.

Lawmakers say this has hurt taxpayers nationwide and left vulnerable patients open to exploitation.

Whistleblowers have raised alarms about weak licensing rules that let frosters, even

some operating from overseas, set up shop and pull seniors into.

Schemes they didn't agree to.

The committee has drawn parallels to recent probes into similar issues in Minnesota's programs.

They're demanding records on oversight and fraud prevention by April 6th, as this investigation

ramps up to uncover more details on how these problems grew unchecked.