Florida guardian Rebecca Fierle improperly billed AdventHealth nearly $4 million, report says
Former Orlando guardian Rebecca Fierle improperly billed AdventHealth nearly $4 million over a decade for services she provided to their vulnerable patients — while often also billing her incapacitated clients for the same services, according to a newly released investigation.
The disgraced guardian is currently under criminal investigation after an incapacitated client, 75-year-old Steven Stryker, died at a Tampa hospital because staff were unable to perform life-saving measures due to a “do not resuscitate” order Fierle filed against his wishes and refused to remove.
Guardians are appointed by judges to make all legal, financial and medical decisions for incapacitated people and are paid for their services through the ward’s assets or by the state.
But an investigation released Thursday by the office of Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond found Fierle billed AdventHealth close to $3.96 million between January 2009 and June 2019 for services she provided to 682 patients — a financial arrangement not allowed under Florida law without court approval.
Read more: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/florida/guardians/os-ne-rebecca-fierle-adventhealth-payments-20190912-ajkua7c6qzg7vg2u3xeezum2wu-story.html