Home health fraud

What the fraud has looked like in a public case

On August 20, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky announced that Intrepid U.S.A. Inc. and subsidiaries agreed to pay $3,850,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations about home health and hospice. The release says the settlement is based on Intrepid’s ability to pay, that the claims are allegations only, and that there has been no determination of liability. ¹ Source 1

For home health, the United States alleged that between 2016 and 2021, 19 facilities submitted Medicare claims for patients who did not qualify or were not properly certified, for services that were not reasonable or medically necessary, for services by untrained staff, or for services that were not performed. ¹ Source 1

The release says two qui tam suits were resolved. Relators Jennifer Jones and Pamela Joffe will receive $333,985. Relators Marsha Rigney and Janet Watts will receive $359,014. Those figures are the release’s statement of what those relators will receive from that settlement. They are not a rate card. ¹ Source 1

Which published programs may apply

The Justice Department’s October 20, 2026 reward materials list home health care among the subjects the program emphasizes, within federal health care offenses. The early payment described there is $10,000 to $30,000, in the Department’s discretion, after charges are unsealed. ² Source 2 ³ Source 3

The Intrepid matter was pleaded as a civil False Claims Act case. A future home-health matter could be criminal, civil, or both. The program pages describe different procedures and different award math. Read both before assuming a percentage. ¹ Source 1 ⁴ Source 4

Where to report

Use America.gov/fraud for the federal portal identified in the October 2026 announcement. The Civil Division also describes inspector general reports, FBI reports, and sealed qui tam complaints. This site does not accept the report. ² Source 2 ⁵ Source 5 ⁶ Source 6