Hospice fraud victimizes seniors, but Gavin Newsoms no help

California hospice fraud is not just fleecing taxpayers.It’s stealing the health of senior citizens.Which raises a question: Which group did Sacramento recently act to protect?The seniors? Or the fraudsters?Consider the plight of Linda Henry, 71, of Long Beach. As The California Post and other media recently reported, fraudsters enrolled her in hospice care without her knowledge, effectively cutting off her Medicare coverage: Why cover, say, allergy testing for a person on the brink of death? California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.Please provide a valid email.

By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story The mess took months to sort out before Medicare conceded the senior had been victimized. Henry’s experience underscores that hospice fraud is not a remote, abstract or victimless crime.It hurts countless victims like her, all part of a California fraud albatross the feds estimate at $3.5 billion in LA County alone.Those billions were collected from hard-working taxpayers –– only to be squandered on fraud.One would think the state’s governor and legislators would be appalled by this fraud-fest in their state, and actively work to stop it.Instead, Gavin Newsom & Co.

recently approved legislation to protect the fraudsters. The Stop Nick Shirley Act (AB 2624), nicknamed by GOP Assemblyman Carl DeMaio for the journalist who last year exposed rampant fraud in Minnesota, aims to quash scrutiny of the very “nonprofits” that abuse taxpayers to pay for cars, mansions and yachts.While supporters deny targeting Shirley, the legislation was introduced shortly after the journalist began filming California childcare facilities that he claimed were fraudulent.The law allows civil lawsuits against those who publish images, like photos or videos, of workers at organizations that purport to help immigrant groups.It also l...