The state Attorney General’s Office filed suit this morning against Grane Healthcare Co. of O’Hara, contending the nursing home chain consistently mistreated consumers and misled the commonwealth by offering substandard care at 11 of its 12 facilities.
Among allegations in the lawsuit filed in Commonwealth Court are that understaffed Grane facilities — seven of them in the metropolitan area — did not sufficiently help residents get to the bathroom, leaving them in soiled clothing; excessive physical and drug restraints were used on residents; residents were not properly fed, dressed, repositioned or exercised; and records were falsified to claim residents received more care than was actually provided.
Grane was accused of billing consumers and the government’s Medicaid program for services that were not provided and making false claims about the quality of care on its website and in marketing materials.
“These alleged misrepresentations not only deceived the residents of these facilities, but Grane’s business practices also degraded residents and increased the risk of negative health consequences,” Attorney General Bruce R. Beemer said in a news release. “We believe there is ample evidence that these facilities fell far short when it came to providing essential services.”
Grane President Mark Fox called the lawsuit "completely unfounded," although he said the company would not comment on the lawsuit's specific complaints because lawyers have not had time to review them. Grane was critical of the attorney general's collaboration with a private law firm, Washington, D.C.,-based Cohen Milstein, which is assisting the state prosecutors in investigating and suing nursing homes in return for a contingency fee of any money recovered.
"We intend to vigorously defend ourselves and our employees and we look forward to our day in court," Mr. Fox said.
Among the chain’s facilities named in the lawsuit are Harmarvillage Care Center of Cheswick, Harmon House Care Center of Mount Pleasant, Highland Park Care Center, Kittanning Care Center, Providence Care Center of Beaver Falls, Riverside Care Center of McKeesport and Woodhaven Care Center of Monroeville.
Providence Care Center was recently ordered by a Beaver County jury to pay $2,250,000 in a civil lawsuit filed by the son of an elderly resident who suffered serious injuries in a 2011 fall.
The state’s suit against Grane is the second to be filed by the attorney general against a large chain over broad nursing home conditions. A case filed last year against a Texas-based company over conditions in 25 of its Golden Living nursing homes in the state is still pending.
Gary Rotstein: grotstein@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1255.
First Published: November 4, 2016, 2:50 p.m.
