Here are seven things to know about the lawsuit.
1. The lawsuit was filed Friday against Grane Healthcare, based in O’Hara Township near Pittsburgh, which has 11 skilled nursing homes in Pennsylvania.
2. In the lawsuit, Pennsylvania Attorney General Bruce R. Beemer said Grane doesn’t have enough staff to provide basic patient care — and “deceived the Commonwealth regarding the true conditions and level of care they provided by increasing staffing levels on the floor” when inspectors with the Pennsylvania Department of Health were around, according to the report.
3. Specifically, the lawsuit contends Grane advertised “high staff-to-patient” ratios but had too few certified nursing assistants to ensure patients were fed, clothed, bathed and otherwise cared for properly and as advertised, reports Insurance Journal.
4. Additionally, the report states, the lawsuit contends the staffing problems resulted in fraudulent billing because patients did not receive the level of care that Grane advertised which was paid for by their Medicare, Medicaid and other insurance programs.
5. Overall, “these alleged misrepresentations not only deceived the residents of these facilities, but Grane’s business practices also degraded residents and increased the risk of negative health consequences,” Mr. Beemer said, according to the report.
6. Grane did not immediately respond to a phone call and email by Insurance Journal seeking comment.
7. The lawsuit seeks $1,000 per violation of Pennsylvania’s consumer protection law, or $3,000 for each violation where the victim is 60 or older, according to the report.
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