An "ultra-high" billing category created by Medicare for nursing homes more than 10 years ago has been abused, potentially for billions of dollars annually in overpayments, reports the Washington Post. Specifically, the Inspector General's office in the Department of Health and Human Services is looking into North American Health Care, a chain that operates 35 nursing homes, mostly in California. According to the Post, NAHC facilities bill 64 percent of their patients for "ultra-high" care; the average nursing home bills only 9 percent of its patients in this category. Furthermore, 21 of the top 30 nursing homes in the U.S. with the highest percentage of residents billed in the "ultra-high" category were found to be NAHC facilities. Article