> A Houston psychiatrist implicated in a $158 million Medicare fraud scheme at Riverside General Hospital was sentenced to 14 years in prison and ordered to pay $6.3 million in restitution. Sharon Iglehart was part of a scheme that falsely certified beneficiaries for intensive psychiatric treatment. Announcement
> New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas cleared the last two behavioral health providers who were accused of overbilling Medicaid in 2013. Following an extensive investigation, all 15 providers that were originally accused of fraud have been cleared of wrongdoing. Announcement
> A patient recruiter for two Miami home health agencies was convicted of a $2 million scheme in which he accepted kickbacks in exchange for patient referrals. Prosecutors indicated Carlos Rodriquez Nerey created a shell company to hide approximately $250,000 in payments. Announcement
Health Payer News
> The federal government will raise the payment rates for Medicare Advantage plans by an average of .085 percent next year--though that increase is less than it previously proposed. Article
> The federal Office of Personnel Management plans to issue new rules governing how health insurers that cover federal employees must report data breaches. Article
And finally… Dogs eating peanut butter makes for some great pictures. Article