This is inconceivable, but the number of Hospices in Los Angeles County total one third (1/4) of the total number of hospices in the United States. As CMS Administrator, Dr. Mehmet Oz is spearheading a major crackdown on alleged hospice fraud, particularly in California, describing it as an epidemic of fraudulent enrollment for financial gain. He is targeting illegal, non-dying patient enrollment and fraudulent billing, pledging to revoke Medicare billing privileges for bad actors and strengthening oversight to ensure legitimate end-of-life care.

Key details regarding Dr. Oz’s actions on hospice care include:

• Targeting “Explosive Fraud”: Dr. Oz identified an excessive, sevenfold increase in hospice facilities in LA County, where patients not actually terminally ill are targeted by fraudsters, often exploiting Medicare.
• “Boots on the Ground” Investigation: Dr. Oz visited California and Nevada to investigate suspicious hospice operations and meet with law enforcement, targeting what he calls a “perverse scheme”.
• Federal Action and Revalidation: He has ordered 50 states to revalidate high-risk Medicaid providers and threatened to suspend Medicare payments to complicit hospice operators.