“Erin Brockovich Takes Role as Plaintiff in Medicare Suits”

For those who never expected to see the words “glamourpuss” and “Medicare” in the same sentence: “The onetime legal assistant, whose environmental crusade against a utility company inspired a hit movie starring Julia Roberts, has lent her name as plaintiff in lawsuits against several California hospitals and convalescent homes.” Two law firms, including Wilkes & McHugh, have engaged Brockovich as the public face of bounty-hunting “whistleblower” suits pursuing the adventuresome theory that hospitals defraud the government by accepting Medicare reimbursement for further medical care occasioned by their own earlier errors, even when no legal process has yet determined the earlier medical decisions to have been erroneous. The “lawsuits do not involve specific allegations of wrongdoing “. Ms. Brockovich is managed by the William Morris talent agency. (Daniel Yi, Los Angeles Times, Jun. 7). For much more on her activities, follow links from Nov. 3, 2005. Update Nov. 18: federal judge in San Diego tosses two suits.

2 Comments

  • If Medicare would probably be financially better off if it could instead recoup from ATLA all the money spent on needless tests and procedures performed in an effort to avoid the risk of lawsuits

  • They underpay nurses which causes a shortage; have inadequate training & are recruiting from the Phillipines without any additional training – this causes numerous “mistakes” which makes for more insurance billing – and the winners? The Stockholders. The losers are the victims (i.e. patients) – I speak from experience and am thrilled she is taking this on.