Sunday, August 26, 2012

Pardon Me?

Hospital chain to pay $16.5 million in kickback case involving the homeless
In the agreements filed Thursday in U.S. District Court, LADH and PCH admitted that from 2003 to 2008 they and the three PCH hospitals paid more than $2.3 million in kickbacks to "marketers" to recruit people to act as patients, the statement said. They were treated, even if they did not need treatment, the news release said...
According to the plea agreement of one of those "marketers," Estill Mitts, hired "stringers" to recruit homeless people to act as patients from 2004 until 2007 in exchange for promises of small payments. He has previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to recruit homeless people to receive unnecessary health services, the release said.
Not to quibble with your criminal conspiracy or anything, but couldn't you at least have given them some real services while you were at it?   Pretty sure those people have some health issues.
Anyhow, here's the really good bit-
Though PHC was criminally charged Thursday, the charges will be dismissed in 2018 if the company follows through with its agreement, the statement said.