In a scam that involved 42 suspects allegedly bilking California's Medi-Cal system of nearly $4.6 million, the lives of young, disabled persons were placed at risk by the "professional" caregivers that were hired to take care of them. Many of these professional nurses were in fact unlicensed. The alleged fraud scheme is believed to have taken place between 2004 to 2007. On Thursday, 22 people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the fraud scheme.
Staff members from Medcare Plus Home Health Providers were hired to go to private homes and take care of disabled children and young adults. Services these nursing workers were supposed to perform included giving patients medications, taking care of feeding tubes, and adjusting ventilators. The people that hired them thought they were retaining the professional services of licensed vocational nurses, when in fact many of these workers did not have medical training or received their training abroad but were not licensed to practice nursing in the US.
These unlicensed "professionals" treated some 75 patients. Many of the patients were kids with developmental disabilities or cerebral palsy. Fortunately, none of the patients appear to have suffered life-threatening injuries from the inadequate care they received.
US Attorney Thomas O'Brien says this is the largest single case of alleged Medi-Cal fraud that has ever been filed in California.
Nursing Negligence
Unfortunately, incidents of Orange County, California nursing negligence occur not only in Southern California nursing homes but also in private residences. If your loved one was injured because a professional caregiver or a private nurse was abusive or negligent, you may have grounds for filing a California nursing negligence lawsuit.
Examples of Caregiver Negligence:
• Elder financial abuse
• Physical abuse
• Verbal abuse
• Ignoring a patient's cries for help
• Failure to protect patient from fall accidents
• Failure to treat bedsores
• Failure to properly administer medication
• Failure to follow doctor's instructions for patient care
The reason that sick, disabled, or elderly people require the help of nursing professionals is because they can't take care of themselves or their medical needs alone. A nursing home professional is in breach of that duty of care if he or she cannot provide a patient with a certain quality of care or is negligent or causes injury or harm.
California charges 42 in home nursing scam, UPI.com, July 9, 2009
20 arrested in Medi-Cal fraud targeting disabled patients, Los Angeles Times, July 9, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Medi-Cal
When Caregivers Harm: Problem Nurses Stay on the Job as Patients Suffer, Los Angeles Times/Pro Publica, July 11, 2009
In Orange County, California contact our Anaheim nursing home neglect lawyers to request your free case evaluation.
