[Expert Solution]: A stand-alone nursing facility was…

A stand-alone nursing facility was recently audited by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and charged with having committed Medicare fraud over the course of 5 years. The governing board of the facility, which was not privy to the misconduct, is horrified, angry, and fearful for the future of the facility. The accountant and bookkeeper have been charged in the matter, but the administrator and business manager have not. If the charges are proven true, whom should the governing board ultimately hold responsible? What failures must have taken place for this misconduct to have occurred in the first place and to have continued for 5 years? If you were on the governing board of the facility, what steps would you take in this matter to address this incident and protect the residents, employees, and future of the facility?