California Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced a new initiative to address hospice fraud across the state. The campaign aims to educate Californians about their rights, help them identify potential fraud, and provide resources for reporting suspected abuse within the hospice care system.
“Hospice fraud exploits individuals at their most vulnerable moments — often targeting the elderly, the terminally ill, and those unfamiliar with the complexities of end-of-life care. From enrolling ineligible patients to billing for services never rendered, these unethical practices drain critical public resources and cause immeasurable harm to families,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Our message is simple: Hospice care should be about compassion, not corruption. This initiative builds on our ongoing efforts to protect patients and families and arm them with the knowledge they need to recognize and report fraudulent behavior.”
Hospice care is designed for people who are terminally ill and focuses on comfort rather than curative treatment during their final days. However, officials have identified a growing problem of hospice fraud in California—particularly in areas like Van Nuys, Glendale, Burbank, and North Hollywood—where providers have been accused of financial misconduct that can harm patients and result in false billings to Medi-Cal.
The new effort from the California Department of Justice includes educational materials such as public service announcements via billboards and radio spots throughout Los Angeles. Community forums led by legal experts from the Division of Medi-Cal Fraud & Elder Abuse will help law enforcement officers and healthcare professionals better detect fraudulent activity. The initiative also features support services like a dedicated helpline, an online reporting portal (https://oag.ca.gov/dmfea/reporting), and guides for patients or caregivers.
Recent years have seen an increase in deceptive practices by some hospice providers seeking financial gain through actions such as submitting claims for services not provided or medically unnecessary treatments; engaging in kickback schemes; or enrolling patients who do not meet hospice criteria.
Warning signs may include inconsistent visits from caregivers, lack of clear diagnosis justifying hospice enrollment, insufficient explanation about what hospice entails before services begin, offers of gifts or incentives to enroll in hospice care, extended stays without updates on patient status or next steps, unprofessional staff conduct, suspicious billing statements from Medi-Cal that do not match actual care received, or pressure tactics used to keep patients enrolled.
Attorney General Bonta advises families to confirm eligibility with regular doctors before agreeing to hospice care; avoid accepting unsolicited offers; ask questions about services provided; verify provider credentials; understand insurance coverage details; maintain records of all care received; and promptly report any suspicious activity through official channels such as the DOJ complaint line at (800) 722-0432 or by mail at California Department of Justice Division of Medi-Cal Fraud Elder Abuse P.O. Box 944255 Sacramento, CA 94244-2550.
Since taking office, Attorney General Bonta has filed criminal charges against 109 individuals related to hospice fraud offenses and launched 24 civil investigations resulting in several civil filings.
Additional information about recognizing and reporting hospice fraud can be found through consumer alerts (https://oag.ca.gov/consumers/alerts/hospice-fraud), brochures available in English (https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/Hospice%20Fraud_Consumer%20Brochure.pdf) and Spanish (https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/Hospice%20Fraud_Consumer%20Brochure_Spanish.pdf), as well as images from a recent billboard campaign (https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/Hospice-Billboard.jpg).
