Arlington Nursing Home Agrees Pay $600,000 to Settle False Claim Act Violations

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Genesis HealthCare LLC, whose headquarters is located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $600,000 to resolve allegations that it submitted false claims to the federal government in connection with its operation of a skilled nursing facility known as the Potomac Center, located Arlington.

“Nursing home residents rely upon Medicare and Medicaid programs to receive life sustaining, and other essential medical services,” said Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “It is my hope that nursing homes residents will receive improved care as a result of this settlement.”

The settlement announced today resolves allegations that from Aug. 21, 2008, to Sept. 24, 2008, employees of Potomac/Genesis failed to provide patient care activities as recorded in the resident medical record of a patient and failed to provide certain care activities consistent with standing physician orders. In addition to the monetary settlement, Genesis has agreed to pay for a one-year transition consultant who has been assisting the new operator of the skilled nursing facility to identify risks and opportunities for improvement in providing skilled nursing services to residents at the facility.

The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the FBI, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Virginia Office of Attorney General.

This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Gordon.  The civil claims settled by this False Claims Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.

If you know someone who is the victim of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation in a nursing home, you can report it to the Virginia Long-Term-Care Ombudsman, (800) 552-3402, the Virginia Office of Licensure and Certification, (800) 955-1819, your local adult protective services office, and/or your local police department.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.