Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Nursing Facility Where Woman In Vegetative State Gave Birth Previously Faced Criminal Investigation
The New York Times: $3.4 Million Medicaid Fraud Inquiry Hovers Over Nursing Home Where Comatose Woman Was Raped And Had Baby
State investigators in Arizona are examining $3.4 million in possible Medicaid fraud at the parent company of a Phoenix nursing center where a woman in a vegetative state was raped and gave birth to a boy in December, according to court records. The inquiry into the company, Hacienda HealthCare, began in 2016, when investigators at the health agency that manages the state’s Medicaid program started asking questions about Hacienda’s organizational and accounting structure. Investigators wanted to know whether Hacienda executives improperly shifted overhead expenses in the company to a subsidiary at the same location that then overcharged the state’s Medicaid program. (Haag, 1/11)
Arizona Republic: Hacienda HealthCare Investigated By State In 2016; Legal Battle Continues
The Phoenix facility where a comatose patient was raped and gave birth faced a criminal investigation two years ago over allegations it billed the state more than $4 million in bogus charges. Regulators with Arizona's social-welfare agency wanted to remove developmentally disabled patients from Hacienda HealthCare in 2016 and terminate contracts that allowed the facility to provide services for the state. (Anglen and Innes, 1/12)
Arizona Republic: Rick Romley To Lead Internal Investigation Of Hacienda HealthCare
Former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley will conduct a "no-holds-barred" internal investigation of the Phoenix facility where a comatose patient was raped and gave birth last month. Hacienda HealthCare officials confirmed Sunday they hired Romley to lead an examination of patient safety, beginning with how the woman was raped and impregnated without the staff's knowledge. (Anglen, 1/13)
The Washington Post: Hacienda HealthCare Birth: 911 Call Reveals Nurse's Surprise — ‘We Had No Idea’
The unnamed nurse screamed into the phone at the 911 dispatcher: “The baby’s turning blue! Baby’s turning blue!” She urged the paramedics to come faster: “We’re not prepared for this.” In most cases, a patient going into labor at a health-care facility in a room full of nurses would be a stressful but manageable situation. (Wootson, 1/12)
Arizona Republic: Here's What We Still Need To Know About Hacienda HealthCare Sex Assault
A 29-year-old woman described as being "not alert" and needing a "maximum level of care" gave birth Dec. 29 to a boy at the Phoenix health-care facility Hacienda de los Angeles. Police were called, and the woman and her baby were taken to a hospital, where they were recuperating. Her family lawyer said the baby will be well cared for. Phoenix police were conducting a sexual-assault investigation, and multiple state agencies were involved.Here is what we know, plus some key unanswered questions. (Innes, 1/11)
