Overview
- House Republicans, who launched the inquiry Monday, sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a letter seeking records from Jan. 1, 2019 to present with an April 6 deadline.
- The committee cites reporting that Los Angeles County hospices billed Medicare about $29,000 per patient versus a $13,200 national average, and alleged cases of beneficiaries signed up without consent.
- California officials point to a 2021 freeze on new hospice licenses, an extension of that moratorium through January 2027, more than 280 license revocations, and roughly 300 providers now under investigation.
- A 2022 state audit found a 1,500% jump in LA County hospice providers since 2010 and warned of at least $105 million in Medicare overbilling in a single year.
- The push is partisan, with only Republicans signing the letter, as coverage highlights “ghost” or vacant‑address hospices and CMS leaders vow tougher checks and payment cuts at suspect providers.