Upstate New York Nursing Home to Pay Over $7 Million After Worthless Service Allegations
According to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York, a nursing home in Upstate New York will pay $7,168,000 for the submission of false claims to the Medicaid program for worthless services provided to residents.
According to the press release, Saratoga Center for Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Care in Ballston Spa, New York was operated by individuals unlicensed to operate a nursing home in New York from 2017 to 2021.
Allegedly, after a financial dispute between the landlord of the property and the individuals who were licensed to operate the nursing home in 2017, the landlord seized control of the nursing home. He then replaced the licensed operators with individuals and entities who never obtained the necessary license to operate the nursing home.
The United States argued that those new, unlicensed operators allegedly delivered worthless services to their residents. They allegedly failed to adequately staff the nursing home, allowed conditions to deteriorate to the point where it violated federal and state regulations, and even made it on to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Special Focus Facility list, meaning it was one of the worst performing nursing homes in the country.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James stated "We trust nursing homes to protect New Yorkers during their most vulnerable days, but the owners, unlicensed operator and landlord of Saratoga Center repeatedly violated the law for their own benefit. Instead of provided the quality care and compassion that residents deserved, the owners of Saratoga Center deceived regulators and left residents to suffer deplorable conditions and neglect."