Federal prosecutors say a California hospice company falsely claimed patients were dying — including an elderly man with dementia who was hospitalized for constipation — in order to collect millions in Medicare payments.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Glendale-based company 626 Hospice Inc., operating as St. Francis Palliative Care, allegedly enrolled patients in hospice services even when they were not terminally ill.
Owner Gladwin Gill, 66, and his wife Amelou Gill, 70, are facing federal charges alongside others connected to similar hospice operations in the Los Angeles area. Authorities say the alleged scheme brought in more than $50 million in Medicare funds.
Investigators claim some patients were unaware they had even been enrolled in hospice care, which is typically reserved for individuals with six months or less to live.
One case outlined in the complaint involved a 95-year-old man with Alzheimer’s disease, identified as V.J. He had been treated for abdominal pain caused by a fecal mass but was otherwise considered stable and not in need of palliative care.
Records show his primary doctor never diagnosed him as terminally ill or referred him for hospice care. However, prosecutors allege the company had been enrolling and re-enrolling him in hospice services since 2018 without his knowledge.
The complaint also states that neither the patient nor his family were informed he was considered terminal. His daughter reportedly questioned how he was even receiving hospice services and said the care provided did not match what was billed to Medicare.
Federal investigators say V.J.’s case is one of many, with some patients allegedly paid to participate while others had no idea they were being labeled as terminally ill.
Another patient, identified as H.G., told investigators she received routine checkups from hospice staff but was never informed she had a terminal condition. A cardiologist had previously told her she did not have a serious illness.
Gladwin Gill, a psychologist, and Amelou Gill, a registered nurse, are both charged with health care fraud and are scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on April 23.
The arrests are part of a broader federal effort dubbed “Operation Never Say Die,” targeting fraudulent hospice schemes.
“They schemed to defraud the nation’s health care system out of more than $50 million,” the Justice Department said.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said authorities are taking a firm stance against such crimes.
“We are enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for those who defraud taxpayers,” he said. “The defendants now face significant prison time if convicted.”
Leave a Comment