As allegations of significant hospice fraud escalate in Los Angeles County, a doctor is under close examination due to connections with Medicare claims for thousands of patients across numerous hospices.
Dr. Rajiv Bouba reportedly managed Medicare claims for around 2,800 patients at 126 hospices throughout California in 2024, as reported by CBS News, referencing data from the past year. Bouba has connections to more hospices than any other doctor, with 115 of his associated hospice companies based in Los Angeles County.
CBS News has conducted a thorough investigation into claims of widespread hospice fraud in Los Angeles County. Out of nearly 1,800 hospice facilities in the area, 742 were identified as showing multiple fraud indicators as outlined by the state of California.
In California, a typical hospice doctor treats about 140 patients annually. Dr. Bouba’s numbers are astonishingly higher; CBS News discovered that 2,791 claims for terminally ill patients have been filed under his name this year.
Notably, this resulted in $71.7 million in Medicare reimbursements. Interestingly, only one other California physician surpassed Bouba’s reimbursement total, Dr. Domingo Barrientos, who collected $90.3 million before being convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and is now serving time in federal prison.
Dr. Mehmet Oz has weighed in on the situation, confirming Bouba’s Medicare claiming privileges were revoked in March of this year. He expressed strong sentiments on social media, warning potential fraudsters to be cautious.
Dr. Christina Newport, the chief medical officer of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, commented on Bouba’s overwhelming patient load, suggesting it would be incredibly challenging for him to engage meaningfully with the many patients he claims to serve.
While Bouba has not yet faced criminal charges, the scale of allegations associated with him—impacting thousands of patients and over 120 hospices—raises substantial concerns.
In a related note, the California State Auditor previously highlighted that working for multiple hospice providers simultaneously can be indicative of fraudulent activity. The auditor’s report suggested that such patterns may lead to questions regarding whether administrators truly engage with all the agencies they claim to work for.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office termed the issue a federal concern, emphasizing that the state doesn’t involve itself in the Medicare billing process. The governor expressed a desire for accountability among those involved in fraud.
Recently, a Fraud Task Force led by Vice President J.D. Vance announced it had suspended 221 providers in Los Angeles suspected of fraud. This initiative follows significant raids conducted by federal authorities at many of these facilities.
A spokesperson for Vance stated that the fight against fraud is yielding positive outcomes as more providers face suspensions and prosecution for their actions related to defrauding taxpayers.
Fox News Digital has attempted to reach out to the Department of Health and Human Services along with Bouba’s office for further commentary.
