The United States government has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act against ProMedica Health System, Inc. and its affiliates, alleging that four nursing homes operated by the company provided substandard care to residents. The action was announced by U.S. Attorney David Metcalf and the Department of Justice.
ProMedica, a nonprofit based in Toledo, Ohio, owned and managed four nursing facilities between 2018 and 2023: ProMedica Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation – Pottstown (Pennsylvania), ProMedica Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation – Riverview (Ohio), ProMedica Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitation – Greenville East (South Carolina), and ProMedica Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation – Imperial (Virginia).
According to the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, these facilities allegedly failed to provide necessary skilled nursing services from 2017 to 2023. The government claims that staff did not develop or follow individualized care plans for residents as required by federal law. Specific allegations include inadequate wound care to prevent pressure ulcers, insufficient hygiene practices such as failure to provide showers, and lack of proper assistance with feeding leading to significant weight loss among residents. The complaint also states that some staff falsely documented medical records to indicate that care had been given when it had not.
“An increasing number of older adults and persons with disabilities are residing in long-term care facilities. These residents are often particularly vulnerable to inadequate assessment and treatment of their needs,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Beginning almost 30 years ago, the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania filed some of the first False Claims Act complaints and reached some of the first settlements in the United States to focus on quality of care in the nursing home environment. Today’s complaint again serves notice to the nursing home industry that a failure to provide adequate nursing home care will not be tolerated. Public funds expended for nursing home residents must result in appropriate care, which is what the government pays for, and the law requires.”
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate added: “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society, including elderly and infirm individuals who depend on nursing homes for safe and dignified skilled nursing care. Grossly substandard care places nursing home residents at serious risk of harm and this suit sends a clear message that we will pursue healthcare providers who fail to meet their legal obligations to provide required care and who betray the trust of the residents they are meant to serve.”
This lawsuit is part of a coordinated effort involving several agencies within federal law enforcement, including assistance from attorneys in both local offices and national divisions focused on commercial litigation fraud.
The case is titled United States, et al., ex rel. Compton v. HCR ManorCare, Inc., et al., No. 16-cv-0851 (E.D. Pa.). At this stage in proceedings these are only allegations; there has been no finding or admission of liability.
