Nurse Wanted in the United States

Filipino Nurse Wanted in the United States

Susan Bendigo, considered a fugitive since 2008, was charged with several counts of health care fraud.

No, the US does not want more Filipino nurses. Federal authorities are simply looking for a Filipino nurse who reportedly masterminded one of the biggest health care scam.

In the America’s Most Wanted website one can see a smiling profile of a Filipina in its banner. The title of the story reads “Nurses Gone Wild: Suspect Sought in $ 4.6 Million Scheme”. They named the suspect as “Susan Bnedigo” She also goes by the name of Susan Lim and Susan Bendigo-Lim.

According to the report, last July 9, 2009, federal and state authorities arrested 20 people for their role in a Medi-Cal fraud.Medi-Cal is almost equivalent to our Philhealth.

The investigation started in May 2004 when Priscilla Villabroza and Susan Bendigo conspired to hire unlicensed workers and have them perform services to disabled Medi-Cal patients.

Even without the right skill and license, Bendiog and Villabroza billed the Medi-Cal as if the hired workers are skilled. Through VIllabroza’s Medcare Plus Home Health Providers, its sister company Excel Plus and Unicare, they were able to drain $4.6 million dollars out of the California state.

The two falsified documents and impersonate Licensed Vocational Nurse. Bendigo reportedly coached the unlicensed workers to lie about their identity, license and qualifications.

The hired workers visited the patients at home and school to provide nursing services.

Their lack of qualifications became apparent when they were not able to perform basic nursing services. One case reported that the “nurse” was unable to replace a tracheostomy tube after it fell off the neck. In another case, a worker left the vicinity when she couldn’t provide care.

Villabroza has pleaded guilt in 2008 to five counts of health care fraud and is awaiting sentencing that can run up to 50 years. Her accomplice, Bendigo, was also charged in 2008 but apparently slipped authorities and fled here.

This is a distressing report for all Filipinos who are in the US for all sorts of reason. It is most disturbing for Filipino health workers in the US who might just be associated unwittingly with the case. The ire of the public is higher since the conspiring Filipinas milked disabled patients who are mostly children with cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities.

This is dismaying for Filipino nurses in the Philippines who still keep in their heart the dream of going to the US to work someday. While the two went for the kill and amassed millions of dollars through fraud, millions of Filipinos (nurses, health workers and the families who depend of them) are deprived ultimately of the opportunity to have a better life.

Most importantly, this is embarrassing for us who pride ourselves of being caring, loving and one of the most trustworthy health workers globally. Bendigo should come out of hiding and answer for her acts and not the rest of the Filipinos all over the world.