Attorney Weekly Story
New York Attorney General, Letitia James, has announced a settlement with Fulton Commons Care Center, a nursing home located in East Meadow, NY. The settlement resolves the allegations of resident abuse, neglect, and financial fraud that occurred over many years.
Highlights of the Case
AG James has secured the sum of $8.6 million, which will be paid by Fulton Commons Care Center. The sum includes $1.5 million reimbursement for misused Medicare funds and Medicaid. Also, $6M to $7M is dedicated to improving the lives and care of residents and $100K is to cover the costs of the investigation.
The settlement mandates reforms ordered by the court. Additionally, an independent healthcare monitor will supervise and manage resident care to ensure adequate staffing is available. An independent financial monitoring will be implemented to avoid future occurrences of financial fraud in Fulton Commons. Finally, the ruling stated that a Chief Compliance Officer should be appointed to ensure strict adherence to all applicable regulations.
The settlement is premised on the documented suffering of residents, which includes unexplained injuries, unhygienic living conditions, and missed medications. There were also instances of sexual abuse that were covered up by the staff members. In addition, the investigation uncovered that the owners of Fulton Commons misappropriated over $16M in public funds for their personal matters. The settlement compels Fulton Commons to prioritize it’s residents’ wellbeing and strictly adhere to relevant financial regulations.
This case highlights AG James’s ongoing efforts to protect the well-being of residents of nursing homes and hold facilities accountable. It is worth mentioning that similar actions have been taken against other nursing homes for lack of transparency in ownership structures, resident neglect due to financial mismanagement, and inadequate COVID-19 protocols.
Attorney General James encourages individuals with concerns about nursing home issues to contact the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit hotline or file a confidential complaint online. It is crucial to note that the criminal case against Fulton Commons comes with a fine of $5,000. AG James emphasizes his commitment to protecting vulnerable nursing home residents and encourages the public to report suspected issues through the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
The prosecution team for the case includes Special Assistant Attorneys General, Michael Orvets, and Brandon L. Phillips, and Regional Deputy, David Arias, with the supervision of NY Regional Director, Twan Bounds, and MFCU Chief of Criminal Investigations, Thomas O’Hanlon. Crime Victim Assistance Coordinator, Priscilla Tavares also offered her valuable support to the team.
