NHS private health provider accused of US hospice fraud

One of the private health firms awarded the chance to earn contracts worth up to £5bn to provide back-office services to NHS doctors is being pursued through the courts over allegations of a major fraud of the American hospice system.

Optum, one of 12 organisations given the preferred status by NHS England, is accused by the US federal government of falsely claiming American taxpayers’ cash for looking after people in hospices who were not terminally ill.