“Sleeping On The Job”: DC Opens Medicaid Investigation Following Nurse And Aide Neglect Claims

D.C.’s inspector general has opened an investigation after complaints surfaced about home health nurses and aides allegedly sleeping while on duty, following a News4 I-Team report that included hours of video showing caregivers appearing to sleep overnight, according to NBC.

The investigation stems from the account of Damon Brooks, a D.C. resident who shared his experience publicly in December. His story, viewed by more than half a million people online, described repeated instances where he said caregivers failed to respond when he needed assistance.

NBC writes that Brooks, a paraplegic sports journalist, relies on in-home care through the District’s Elderly and Persons with Physical Disabilities waiver program, which is funded by Medicaid. He said he struggled for years with aides who could not be awakened at night, even as he worried that speaking out could jeopardize his care. “Sadly, like, I’ve had large gaps in my schedule. Sometimes I get people, sometimes I don’t,” Brooks said.

After the story aired, Brooks said investigators from the Office of the Inspector General contacted him. “They explained to me that some of the things that I’ve been subjected to were not right. They were deemed fraudulent, and that they’re opening an investigation to see how they could possibly assist me with hopefully rectifying the issue,” he said. He added that since the report, he has not seen aides sleeping on the job.

“I don’t want anybody to be a casualty or anybody to lose the quality of life due to somebody’s negligence,” Brooks said.

The report also renewed scrutiny of broader staffing challenges in the program. D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson, who chairs the health committee, said the issue extends beyond the District. “It’s a complicated issue, but it’s certainly not an issue that is unique to the District,” she said. Henderson noted that over four years, D.C. has lost about 13% of licensed health aides and 28% of certified nursing assistants.

Henderson said better pay is critical to retention, estimating it would take more than $89 million over four years to raise wages. “It’s hard to recruit someone who could be making more at Starbucks or another retail job and it be less labor-intensive work than what they’re currently providing,” she said. “I think it pushes us to think about priorities, right? To think about what is super, super important to us and to try to become creative with that.”

The Department of Health Care Finance, which oversees the waiver program, said in a statement it investigated the complaints and took corrective action but did not specify details. The Office of the Inspector General’s inquiry into Brooks’ case is ongoing, as the District pursues measures to expand and stabilize the caregiving workforce.