State records show 89 hospice companies at one Los Angeles office plaza. We went to look for ourselves.
March 19, 2026 / 9:27 AM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- Merabi Professional Medical Plaza in Los Angeles has 89 licensed hospice companies operating within a single building.
- This 'clustering' of hospice agencies is considered a major red flag for potential Medicare fraud by state auditors.
- Patient advocates believe the building is 'ground zero' for hospice fraud issues.
- A 2022 California State Auditor's report noted a 1,500% increase in hospice companies in Los Angeles County since 2010.
- Auditors identified multiple warning signs for potential fraud, including multiple hospices in one building, geographic clustering, and low patient counts.
- Federal regulators found nearly 400 violations at 75 companies in Merabi Plaza between 2021 and 2025.
- Concerns include 'ghost hospices' which may bill Medicare without providing actual care.
- California's Attorney General and CMS officials are working to combat hospice fraud.