CCHR Florida Calls for Investigation into For-Profit Psychiatric Hospitals that Rake in Millions of Medicaid Funds

CLEARWATER, Fla., July 06, 2017 -- The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), established by the Church of Scientology and Dr. Thomas Szasz in 1969, is calling for an investigation into for-profit psychiatric hospitals that are raking in millions while under investigation for fraud.

Diane Stein, President of CCHR Florida said, “We are looking into these Florida facilities which have been reported for fraudulent practices and providing questionable care for children and adults.”

One example CCHR Florida cited is the psychiatric and mental health facilities owned by Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS).  UHS operates 221 for-profit behavioral care facilities located throughout 38 states. Currently 26 of UHS’s behavioral-psychiatric facilities are under federal investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil and Criminal Divisions and Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for alleged fraudulent billing practices under Medicare and Medicaid.  Five of the facilities under investigation are in Florida and all are still open and operating with one exception.  The facilities are:

• Central Florida Behavioral Hospital
• River Point Behavioral Health
• University Behavioral Center
• Wekiva Springs
• National Deaf Academy (closed)

Ms. Stein said, “Central Florida Behavioral Hospital in Orlando is an example of a UHS facility still doing business as usual despite investigations and continuous reports of violations.”

The 2015 fiscal report for Central Florida Behavioral Hospital included the following:

• Total assets of $39,854,335.58
   
• General Revenue income for the year was only $7,121.75
   
• But their Contract Income from Medicaid, The Dept. of Children and Families and the Juvenile Welfare Board was $80,429,807.50 ⁱ

Yet despite the complaints about UHS’s behavioral/psychiatric facilities and Federal investigations into them, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) approved Coral Shores Behavioral Health, a new UHS facility in Stuart, Florida.ⁱⁱ

About CCHR:
Initially established by the Church of Scientology and renowned psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz in 1969, CCHR’s mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health and enact patient and consumer protections. It was L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, who brought the terror of psychiatric imprisonment to the notice of the world.  In March 1969, he said, “Thousands and thousands are seized without process of law, every week, over the ‘free world’ tortured, castrated, killed.  All in the name of ‘mental health.’”  For more information please visit www.cchrflorida.org

ⁱ http://www.cfbhn.org/Documents/BOD/02262016%20BOD%20Packet.pdf

ⁱⁱ http://www.tcpalm.com/story/specialty-publications/progress-and-innovation/2017/02/20/profile-mental-health-facility-opening-martin-summer/97091774/

Media Contact:
Diane Stein
President, CCHR Florida
727-442-8820
[email protected]
www.cchrflorida.org