Literature Review

LACo Board presses for stepped-up enforcement of hospice, home care fraud MyNewsLA.com; by Contributing Editor; 4/7/26 The county Board of Supervisors directed its staff Tuesday to develop recommendations aimed at improving coordination with other agencies to crack down on home health and hospice fraud. “Fraud in home health and hospice care is not just a financial crime — it is a direct threat to the health and safety of some of our most vulnerable residents,” Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath said in a statement after the board’s unanimous vote. 

CMS ups hospice oversight: 5 things to know Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 4/3/26 CMS is implementing new oversight measures for hospice programs, which include an updated scoring system, state-specific oversight and changes to election statement addenda. The new scoring system is part of an effort to “strengthen oversight, improve transparency for patient families and ensure Medicare hospice benefits are not abused,” according to an April 2 agency news release. Here’s what to know:

Hospice where staggering 97% of terminal patients survive is accused of defrauding Medicare for $7.45 million CBS News Bay Area; by Adam Yamaguchi, Laura Geller, Rachel Gold; 4/2/26 The FBI arrested a married couple Thursday accused of fraudulently billing Medicare for $7.45 million while running a hospice with a survival rate reported to be more than 97% after five years. They were the first in a series of arrests planned Thursday, federal officials told CBS News. A high survival rate at a hospice provider is one of a series of red flags identified by state auditors for fraud because most people enter hospice care in the final stages of a terminal illness. In past cases of fraud, operators were found to be using false or stolen identities to collect federal reimbursements for palliative care. The targets of the early-morning operation were Gladwin and Amelou Gill, a doctor and psychologist who co-own 626 Hospice, which does business as St. Francis Palliative Care, according to the FBI. 

California targeted in House Committee investigation of hospice fraud

Documented California hospice fraud prompts broad ranging inquiry from national oversight and accountability organization Empower Oversight - Whistleblowers & Research, Washington, DC; 3/26/26 Empower Oversight today pressed for comprehensive records from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) related to hospice fraud and oversight failures across California — with a particular focus on Los Angeles County. The records request targets widespread regulatory failures in the county. The letter request spans five broad categories asking for:

In fight against fraud, leading national organizations urge CMS to take action while protecting legitimate providers and patient access The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance); Press Release; 3/25/26The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance), LeadingAge, LeadingAge California, and the California Association for Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) in a March 25, 2026 letter to Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator, ​the ​Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), commend the agency’s actions to protect Medicare beneficiaries, preserve the integrity of the hospice and home health benefits, and root out bad actors who are exploiting the program and harming patients and families. At the same time, the associations emphasize the need for a carefully targeted federal response to protect current and prospective patients, and preserve access to care delivered by trustworthy providers.

Larchmont woman sentenced to nearly 3 years in federal prison for her role in hospice and diagnostic testing fraud that conned Medicare United States Attorney's Office - Central District of California, Los Angeles, CA; Press Release; 3/24/26 A woman from the Larchmont area of Los Angeles was sentenced today to 35 months in federal prison for defrauding Medicare out of more than $14 million by submitting fraudulent claims for hospice care and diagnostic testing services that were either unnecessary or not provided at all. Sophia Shaklian, 38, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr., who also ordered her to pay $14,103,043 in restitution. Shaklian pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of health care fraud.

15 hospices incorporated in a single day, in a single suite in Van Nuys Daily Breeze; by Jason Henry; 3/22/26 A group operating out of a Friar Street office building in Van Nuys that advertises “virtual offices” incorporated 22 hospices and home care agencies in one year, including 15 hospices registered in one day to a single suite, according to an investigation by the Southern California News Group. The 15 hospices, all formed in “Suite 205” at 14545 Friar St., later collected $12.3 million from Medicare and Medi-Cal billings in 2023 and 2024, records showed. ... While operating out of the same building is permitted, hospices cannot use the same office, according to Sheila Clark, the president and CEO of California Hospice and Palliative Care. ... She’s been sounding the alarm about fraud risks in Los Angeles’ hospice industry for years now. ...However, these hospices seemingly bypassed that limitation by appending letters from “A” to “P” onto the suite number in official documentation.

Hospice organizations call for Medicare provider enrollment moratorium in California Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/20/26 A coalition of hospice and home health industry stakeholders are calling for a statewide moratorium in California on provider enrollments due to widespread Medicare fraud. A key area of focus is the greater Los Angeles County area. The group of providers and associations has written to U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz saying that rampant fraud in the state requires federal intervention. The signatories on the letter included the Save Home Health Coalition, California Hospice and Palliative Care Association (CHAPCA) and Texas Association for Home Care and Hospice (TAHCH).

Most newly enrolled California hospice agencies flagged for fraud, CMS says Washington Examiner; by Mia Cathell; 3/18/26 A top official at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services informed Congress on Tuesday that federal investigators have stripped billing privileges from three-fifths of newly enrolled hospice agencies that have continued to pop up in California, a state long riddled with healthcare fraud. Of the remaining California-based hospice service providers that emerged over the past six months, 35% were flagged for corrective action, Kimberly Brandt, the chief operating officer of CMS, told the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Report: Over 40% of hospice centers in L.A. County ‘show multiple indicators’ of fraudulent activity One America News; by Addie Davis; 3/13/26 Over 700 of the roughly 1,800 hospice agencies in Los Angeles County show multiple state identified indicators of fraud, according to an analysis by CBS News. A 2022 California state audit highlights a staggering 1,500% surge in hospice agencies since 2010. By 2019, Los Angeles County’s density of hospice centers reached six and a half times the national average relative to its elderly population — a saturation point linked to an estimated $105 million in Medicare overbilling, according to CBS News.

Van Nuys address linked to nearly 200 hospice agencies, lawmaker says NBC Los Angeles-4, Los Angeles, CA; by City News Service; 3/11/26 A Van Nuys building is listed as the registered address for 197 hospice agencies, according to a state lawmaker who said Wednesday the discovery raises questions about oversight of California's hospice licensing system. Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo, R-Tulare, said the agencies are registered at 14545 Friar St., where she said she visited the property after reviewing licensing records. ... The lawmaker said the situation highlights potential gaps in the state's oversight of hospice providers under Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration. In a statement to NBCLA, Newsom's office said the governor "cracked down on hospice fraud years." ... The statement did not comment on Macedo's findings at the Van Nuys building. NBCLA has also reached out to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for comment.

California hospice fraud: What to know as blame game erupts Newsweek; by Jasmine Laws; 3/11/26, updated 3/12/26 The social media platform X has been awash with criticism targeted at California Governor Gavin Newsom as a CBS News report detailed the extent of the state's hospice fraud problem. Newsom's office has been hitting back at the comments, reminding users that the state "cracked down on hospice fraud years ago," and has been pointing the finger at President Donald Trump, as his administration paused a hospice oversight program at the start of 2025. ... Responding to Newsom's office's comments, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Newsweek: "No one cares about Newscum’s boring X posts ..." While California has been in the spotlight for its hospice fraud, it is not the only state experiencing the problem—it is a nationwide issue. ... A report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General in 2023 found that suspected hospice fraud amounts totaled an estimated $198.1 million nationwide. However, some states in particular have seen a surge in new operators, namely California, Arizona, Nevada and Texas, meaning these states are considered hotspots for potential hospice fraud.Editor's Note: This article aptly names the deeply partisan “blame game” now playing out across many media outlets. Hospice fraud is not a partisan issue—it is a human one. When hospice is exploited, it erodes trust in a field built on compassion and dignity at life’s most vulnerable moments. Political finger-pointing may generate headlines, but it does little to solve the problem. Stopping hospice fraud requires accountability, strong oversight, and a shared commitment to protect patients—and the integrity of hospice care itself.