WASHINGTON—More than $1.7 billion in False Claims Act settlements and judgments reported by the Department of Justice in fiscal year 2022 were associated with the health care industry, including homecare sectors such as home health, durable medical equipment (DME) and medical device manufacturers.
HomeCare News
PAWTUCKET, Rhode Island—Ageless Innovation, the maker of robotic companion pets for seniors, has been tapped by global entertainment company Hasbro, Inc. to create new gaming experiences specifically for older adults and their families.
NEWNAN, Georgia—Brendan Swift will join ATF Medical, a national provider of complex rehab technology (CRT) and accessibility solutions in workers’ compensation, as vice president, payer partnerships and marketing, the company announced. In this newly created role, Swift will lead the company’s sales and marketing strategies and develop and oversee national payer relationships.
New York—Most professional caregivers are motivated by the positive impact they have on their patients' health and well-being, according to a new survey conducted by HHAeXchange.
WASHINGTON—A federal jury convicted two men for engaging in a scheme to defraud Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care plans of more than $3.8 million on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota—Health technology company MatrixCare was awarded the 2023 Best in KLAS: Software & Services designation by KLAS Research for its Home Health EHR solution in two categories.
WASHINGTON—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued additional provider-specific guidance for the winding down of the COVID-19 public health emergency, which is set to end May 11.
LARKSPUR, California—By the Bay Health CEO Kitty Whitaker has announced plans to retire in the spring of 2023.
Whitaker, a Corte Madera resident, joined the nonprofit organization as a hospice nurse in 1996 (when it was known as Hospice of Marin). Over her 27-year career, she took on various roles in clinical leadership, became chief operating officer and in 2014 was appointed CEO.
NEW YORK—The fear started when a few patients saw their nurses and dietitians posting job searches on LinkedIn.
Word spread to Facebook groups, and patients started calling Coram CVS, a major U.S. supplier of the compounded IV nutrients on which they rely for survival. To their dismay, CVS Health confirmed the rumors on June 1: It was closing 36 of the 71 branches of its Coram home infusion business and laying off about 2,000 nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and other employees.
MCLEAN, Virginia—ShiftMed, one of the largest W-2 health care workforce management marketplaces, has raised $200 million in investment to expand its national footprint.
"Health care providers continue to struggle with access to credentialed workers as patient needs and volume continues to rise," said Todd Walrath, CEO of ShiftMed. "ShiftMed is positioned to provide health systems with a regulatory compliant W-2 solution that leverages local and part-time resources."
ATLANTA—TZMO USA announced that the company has entered into a distribution agreement with Medline to distribute the Seni brand of adult incontinence products in the United States. Seni incontinence products and skin care lines are available in many countries worldwide. Seni products are present in mass retailers, pharmacies, nursing homes, assisted living communities and other global distribution channels.
RALEIGH, North Carolina—United States Attorney Michael Easley announced that Joint Active Systems, Inc. (JAS), a manufacturer of range-of-motion devices located in Effingham, Illinois, has agreed to pay $500,000 to settle civil claims under the federal and North Carolina False Claims Acts concerning allegations that JAS caused submission of false claims to the North Carolina Medicaid program for certain durable medical equipment (DME).
LANDSDOWNE, Pennsylvania—Affectionate Home Health Care Services LLC, a homecare agency providing non-medical care in the home, will pay more than $2.3 million in back wages under a consent judgment, the U.S. Department of Labor reports.
A federal investigation found that the company willfully shortchanged nearly 400 employees on overtime, the department said in a news release.
DALLAS—Tickets are now available for Stand Up for Homecare, the networking event at Medtrade that raises funds for home medical equipment (HME) advocacy.
The reception will be held March 29 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the F Lobby of the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center, where Medtrade will be held. Tickets are available here or as an add-on to Medtrade registration.
SUNRISE, Florida—Interim HealthCare Inc., a national franchise network of homecare, senior care, home health, hospice and health care staffing services, ranked No. 1 in the senior care category of Entrepreneur’s 44th annual Franchise 500. Overall, the company ranked No. 55 in its fifth consecutive appearance on the list, moving up from its 2022 placement (No. 56).
ORANGEBURG, New York—Durable medical equipment company Dynarex Corporation has announced Bari+Max, a new line of bariatric products.
According to the company, Bari+Max encompasses a robust selection of heavy-duty products featuring weight capacities of up to 1000 pounds. The line spans mobility, bathroom safety, long term care beds, home care beds, patient lifts and slings, and more.
KANSAS CITY, Missouri— Husch Blackwell’s Hospice practice team handled a record number of hospice audits during 2022, part of a surge in audits witnessed by the industry, the company said. Attorneys at Husch Blackwell worked on more than 200 audit matters for hospices throughout 2022, a number the group anticipates will remain steady or potentially increase in the coming year.
ELYRIA, Ohio—Invacare Corporation has announced that has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, saying the move would help the company move forward with less debt and invest in the future.
REXBURG, Idaho—Home Care Pulse (HCP), a provider of experience management, training and reputation management in the post-acute industry, announced the appointment of Bud Meadows as its chief executive officer.