Oz confirms physician’s Medicare billing revoked amid LA hospice fraud issues

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As allegations of widespread hospice fraud in Los Angeles County proceed to accentuate, one doctor has confronted scrutiny after being tied to Medicare claims for 1000's of sufferers throughout dozens of hospices.

Dr. Rajiv Bhuva has been linked to Medicare claims for practically 2,800 sufferers throughout 126 California hospices in 2024, in accordance with CBS Information, which cited the final full yr of obtainable knowledge. Bhuva is related to extra hospices than some other physician, in accordance with CBS Information, which stated that out of the 126 hospice firms the place claims have been related to him, 115 are in LA County .

CBS News has spent weeks doing a dive into alleged rampant hospice fraud in Los Angeles County. It discovered 742 hospice services out of the roughly 1,800 in LA County confirmed a number of pink flags for fraud as outlined by the state of California.

Whereas the typical California hospice physician cares for about 140 sufferers yearly, Bhuva's numbers far exceeded that quantity, with CBS Information discovering 2,791 claims for terminally in poor health sufferers had been submitted along with his title on them in 2024.

HOUSE COMMITTEE LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO 'RAMPANT' CALIFORNIA HOSPICE FRAUD

A room is proven within the prolonged care facility at Valley Well being Hampshire Memorial Hospital on June 17, 2025 in Romney, W.V. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Put up by way of Getty Photos)

The claims resulted in $71.7 million in Medicare reimbursements, in accordance with CBS Information. The outlet famous that just one different California physician had obtained extra Medicare reimbursements than Bhuva: Dr. Domingo Barrientos, whose reimbursements totaled $90.3 million. In 2024, Barrientos was convicted of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and is presently in federal jail.

Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Providers Dr. Mehmet Oz , who has been outspoken about Medicare fraud in California, confirmed that Bhuva "had his skill to invoice Medicare revoked this previous March."

"To all of the fraudsters on the market stealing from our seniors: run, don’t stroll. As a result of we’re coming after you," Oz wrote on social media.

Dr. Kristina Newport, chief medical officer on the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medication, informed CBS Information that Bhuva would "have a superhuman schedule" to work with the variety of sufferers he is been related to "in a significant manner."

Bhuva has not been charged with against the law, however the variety of claims tied to his title, which span 1000's of sufferers and over 120 hospices, has raised eyebrows.

A inventory picture of a Hospice Nurse visiting an aged affected person who's receiving hospice/palliative care. (iStock)

VANCE ANTI-FRAUD TASK FORCE SUSPENDS 221 CALIFORNIA HOSPICE AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS SO FAR

In 2022, California's state auditors warned that working for greater than three hospice suppliers at one time can be an indicator of fraud.

"This sample of particular person directors supposedly working for a lot of hospice businesses raises questions on whether or not they're truly collaborating within the operations of all or any of these businesses," the auditor's report reads.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom 's workplace responded to a clip of CBS Information' reporting, saying that it was a federal matter, quite than a state difficulty.

"FACT: The state has no function within the Medicare billing or fee course of. We're glad the Trump Admin is taking motion to fight fraud. Now, if Trump might cease pardoning fraudsters—and maintain them accountable—that might be nice!," Newsom's press office wrote on X.

Whereas the state doesn't course of Medicare funds, it does license hospice providers , successfully figuring out which organizations can enroll within the federal program and invoice taxpayers. State auditors have beforehand warned that California’s "weak controls have created the chance for large-scale fraud and abuse."

Lately, Fox Information Digital discovered that an anti-fraud activity drive led by Vice President JD Vance suspended 221 providers in Los Angeles resulting from suspected fraud. This included a lot of suppliers who had been raided by federal authorities.

"The Administration's Struggle on Fraud as soon as once more yields outcomes as extra suspensions happen and fraudsters face justice for ripping off hard-working Individuals and stealing their tax {dollars} and social providers," a Vance spokesperson informed Fox Information Digital. "The Vice President and his activity drive are happy with these newest figures and anticipate to see this quantity proceed to develop dramatically."