California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced securing a preliminary injunction against 19 California skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) operated under the Mariner chain (Mariner Health) for violating federal and state laws and regulations over a five-year period. The Attorney General and District Attorneys of Alameda, Los Angeles, Marin, and Santa Cruz counties allege that Mariner Health violated California’s Unfair Competition Law and False Advertising Law by understaffing its facilities and subjecting its patients to negligent care while inflating their skilled nursing facilities advertised ratings to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The injunction was granted by the Alameda County Superior Court on Friday, January 6, and allows for oversight of five of Mariner Health’s skilled nursing facilities to ensure compliance with state staffing laws. The injunction also allows for the oversight of 19 of Mariner Health’s facilities to ensure compliance with federal and state discharge regulations.
