Riverside, Calif.-based nursing facility Alta Vista Healthcare & Wellness Centre and its management company have agreed to pay $3.8 million to settle allegations they paid physicians kickbacks for referrals.
From 2009 to 2019, Alta Vista, under the direction of management company Rockport Healthcare Services, allegedly gave physicians extravagant gifts — including expensive dinners, golf trips, limousine rides and massages — to refer their patients to their facility, according to a June 21 news release from the Justice Department.
Alta Vista also allegedly paid these physicians monthly stipends of $2,500 to $4,000 for their purported services as medical directors.
The companies will pay $3,228,300 to the United States and $596,700 to California for the settlement. The whistleblower suit was filed by a former Alta Vista accounting employee, who will receive $581,094 for her share.