Skilled nursing facility provider accused of falsifying Medicare claims

One of the nation’s largest Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) providers has been accused of filing false Medicare claims.

The Department of Justice filed a complaint against SavaSeniorCare LLC and related entities, Sava, alleging that Sava knowingly and routinely submitted false claims for rehabilitation therapy services that were not medically reasonable and necessary.  

“The provision of Medicare benefits must be dictated by patient need, not by Medicare providers’ efforts to maximize profits by pressuring their employees to provide medically unnecessary services,” says Benjamin C. Mizer, principal deputy assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Civil Division in a press release.

Sava allegedly pressured the facilities to meet unrealistic financial goals through unnecessary services and delaying patient discharges. “Sava allegedly set these aggressive, prospective corporate targets for the highest Medicare reimbursement rates to significantly increase Sava’s revenues without regard for its patients’ actual clinical needs and then pressured its staff to meet those goals,” the complaint alleges.  

The three consolidated lawsuits were originally filed by whistleblowers, all former employees at SavaSeniorCare facilities.

Sava operates approximately 200 SNFs in 23 states.

Read more here.

Nicole Stempak

Nicole was Senior Editor at I Advance Senior Care and Long Term Living Magazine 2015-2017. She has a Journalism degree from Kent State University and is finalizing a master’s degree in Information Architecture and Management. She has extensive studies in the digital user experience and in branding online media. She has worked as an editor and writer for various B2B publications, including Business Finance.