The government collected more than $50 million in judgments from skilled nursing facilities in 2018, up dramatically from $1.8 million in the previous year, according to a new report.

The Office of the Inspector General released its annual report Monday on fraud in the Medicaid program. In addition to the vast increase in SNF recovery payments, Medicaid Fraud Control Units tripled criminal convictions of SNF operators in 2018 for resident abuse and neglect — at 24 — compared to 2017.

The units also earned twice as many judgments against nursing facilities, with 21 in 2018, compared to 10 the prior year. (Read More)