Brockovich Takes Role as Plaintiff in Medicare Suits

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Brockovich Takes Role as Plaintiff in Medicare Suits

By Yi, Times Staff Writer

June 7, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-brockovich7jun07,1,7729960.story

Brockovich has a famous name, Hollywood good looks, an agent and

a new cause: Medicare.

The onetime legal assistant, whose environmental crusade against a

utility company inspired a hit movie starring , has lent

her name as plaintiff in lawsuits against several California

hospitals and convalescent homes. The suits allege the facilities

pocketed millions of taxpayer dollars while covering up their own

mistakes.

Since the 2000 movie that earned an , Brockovich has

made her rounds in the lecture circuit, book circuit, television show

circuit and the legal circuit. Agency manages her

talent. Law firms manage her legal cache.

Her seven lawsuits, filed Friday in Los Angeles County Superior

Court, allege that healthcare companies are charging Medicare, the

federally funded health plan for seniors, to treat illnesses they

helped cause by medical error or neglect.

The lawsuits do not involve specific allegations of wrongdoing but

seek instead to find evidence of such treatments, arguing that

Medicare should be reimbursed.

One defendant called the lawsuits a publicity stunt by a " celebrity

plaintiff. "

" These are the kinds of baseless lawsuits that contribute to the high

cost of healthcare today, " said Langness, a spokesman for Tenet

California, a division of hospital operator Tenet Healthcare Corp., a

target of Brockovich's lawsuits.

In addition to reimbursement for Medicare, Brockovich and her

attorneys could potentially win millions of dollars if the lawsuits

are successful.

" This is what I do, " the 45-year-old Brockovich said. " I am an

advocate. It would be as odd for me to turn down a cause as it would

be for to not do another movie. "

Brockovich is suing on behalf of the United States under a law that

allows citizens to bring grievances in the government's name. Her

attorneys also have filed lawsuits in New Jersey and Florida using

others as plaintiffs, said attorney L. Wilkes of Wilkes &

McHugh in Rancho Palos Verdes, one of two law firms driving the

nationwide legal effort.

The other defendants in California include Adventist Health, Country

Villa Service Corp., Catholic Healthcare West, Kindred Healthcare

Inc., Longwood Management Corp. and Mariner Health Care Inc.

The allegations focus on reports by the federal government that

medical errors increase costs for Medicare. For example, if a

hospital operates on a wrong body part, Medicare may end up paying

for it as well as the surgery on the correct body part. Medicare may

also foot the bill if a patient becomes dehydrated or contracts an

infection in the hospital or convalescent home.