Man Charged for $60M Health Care Fraud & Kickback Scheme
Robert Leon Smith III billed Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces that were ineligible for Medicare reimbursement

MIAMI—A federal grand jury in Miami returned an indictment charging a Texas man for his alleged role in a $60 million health care fraud, wire fraud and kickback scheme involving the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), genetic tests and foot bath medications.

CenterWell Home Health Collects 289,000 Meals for Americans in Need
Food drive benefits communities across the nation

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky—CenterWell Home Health, one of America’s largest providers of home health, has supplied more than a quarter-million meals in its latest drive to feed people in need in the communities it serves around the country.

Thanks to the generosity of individuals and organizations, CenterWell this fall collected food and financial donations equivalent to 289,490 meals, according to Susan Benoit, president of CenterWell Home Health.

Rural Oregon Seniors Set for Improved In-Home Medical Care Via WellBe Senior Medical

CHICAGO—The challenges and needs of rural care are well documented, but what too often goes overlooked is how in-home care models can provide proactive and urgent access to care for the frailest seniors. That's why WellBe Senior Medical said it is honored to expand its services into Oregon, including rural areas, to tackle that very issue.

Best of Care, Inc. Acquires Barton’s Angels
Expanded homecare, care management & move management services & expertise offered to residents of Connecticut River Valley & Western Massachusetts

BROCKTON and NORTHAMPTON, Massachusetts—Marking a significant milestone on its 43rd anniversary, family-owned and operated Best of Care, Inc., a Massachusetts’ homecare and care management provider, has acquired Northhampton, Massachusetts-based Barton’s Angels. Known since 1997 for its personalized homecare services in Massachusetts’ Connecticut River Valley, Barton’s Angels will now be part of Best of Care’s network, serving an expanded client base in the region.

Blue Shield of California Members Can Now Treat Heart Disease From Home
Nonprofit health plan adding new virtual offering after seeing 71.4% reduction in angina and 23.3% decrease in total cholesterol from nine-week in-person program

OAKLAND, California—Blue Shield of California members now have virtual access to Ornish Lifestyle Medicine, an intensive cardiac rehab program designed to help prevent, treat and even reverse heart disease through lifestyle change.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in California and across the nation, and the expansion of this program aims to help more Californians improve their cardiac health by providing a virtual access option to a successful in-person program.

Study Estimates a 23% Increase in COPD by 2050, Representing 600 Million Patients Globally
Study projects disproportionate growth in COPD among women and low-middle income regions

SAN DIEGO—ResMed announced the results of a study on the global burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) through 2050. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open, the study found that COPD prevalence among those 25 years and older is expected to increase by 23% from 2020 to 2050, with the largest growth projected among women and within low- and middle-income countries.