- New York AG Letitia James, together with the DOJ, announced settlements with Saratoga Center for Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Care, a former 257-bed nursing home, and its owners, unlicensed operator, and landlord (together, “Saratoga Center”) over allegations that the nursing home submitted reimbursement claims for substandard and worthless services to the state’s Medicaid program while failing to provide for the health and safety of its residents.
- According to the settlement agreements, Saratoga Center engaged in a years-long pattern of fraud and resident neglect. The unlicensed operator allegedly oversaw rapidly declining conditions that did not consistently meet federal and state requirements, including failure to dispose of solid waste, medication errors, and periods in which the facility lacked hot water. Despite the alleged neglect, Saratoga Centers continued to submit reimbursement requests to Medicaid.
- Under the terms of the settlements, Saratoga Center will return a total of $7.1 million to Medicaid, with $4.3 million going to New York. In addition, the owners, unlicensed operator, as well as the entities that owned the nursing home’s real property, are excluded from participating in Medicaid and Medicare for at least 10 years.