Court Opinion

ID: 9386810
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-04-13 18:00:34.215958+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:18:08.653557
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-40298         Document: 00516710951             Page: 1      Date Filed: 04/13/2023

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit                                        United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                         Fifth Circuit

                                      ____________                                     FILED
                                                                                   April 13, 2023
                                       No. 22-40298                               Lyle W. Cayce
                                      ____________                                     Clerk

   Angelitos Health Care, Incorporated,

                                                                     Plaintiff—Appellant,

                                             versus

   Xavier Becerra, Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human
   Services,

                                                Defendant—Appellee.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                          for the Southern District of Texas
                                USDC No. 7:20-CV-35
                      ______________________________

   Before King, Jones, and Duncan, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          Angelitos Health Care (“Angelitos”) provides home health care
   services to Medicare beneficiaries. In 2011, a government contractor audited
   a random sample of Angelitos’ 2008–09 Medicare claims, found that
   numerous claims were improperly documented, and concluded through
   statistical extrapolation that Angelitos had been overpaid by over $1 million.

          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-40298     Document: 00516710951          Page: 2   Date Filed: 04/13/2023

                                   No. 22-40298

   Angelitos challenged the audit through Medicare’s administrative appeals
   process, which involves further review by additional contractors, an
   Administrative Law Judge, and the Medicare Appeals Council. See Maxmed
   Healthcare, Inc. v. Price, 860 F.3d 335, 338 (5th Cir. 2017). This process
   largely confirmed the initial audit. Angelitos then sought judicial review.
   With the exception of one claim not relevant here, a magistrate judge
   recommended upholding the Council’s decision. The district judge adopted
   the recommendation in full, and Angelitos appealed.
         Having carefully reviewed the record, the detailed opinion by the
   magistrate judge, and the parties’ briefs, and having also heard oral
   argument, we find no reversible error.
         AFFIRMED.

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