State DOJ Seizes Beverly La Cumbre Nursing Home Records
The California Department of Justice on Tuesday seized documents and electronic files from Beverly La Cumbre nursing home, looking for evidence of Medi-Cal fraud, criminal abuse and neglect, the Santa Barbara News-Press reports. The investigation, which began last September, will help the state decide whether to press criminal charges against the home's owner, Arkansas-based Beverly Enterprises Inc., the largest nursing home operator in the country. Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Joseph Lodge sealed an affidavit containing the details of the investigation. However, the News-Press reports that state Department of Health Services records show that the 189-bed facility "has had widespread problems in recent months." Last week, Beverly La Cumbre was cited and fined for falling below the state minimum staffing levels. The facility, the largest in Santa Barbara County, was cited for the same violation last year. In addition, the Beverly La Cumbre was cited last year for abuse and neglect and poor patient care. Dan Springer, spokesperson for Beverly Enterprises Inc., denied knowledge of any wrongdoing but said the company was willing to comply with the state's request for information (Molina, Santa Barbara News-Press, 1/24).
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