the group agrees to reimburse the State 25.7 million euros, out of the 55.8 claimed

The group of private nursing homes Orpea announced on Tuesday August 30 that it would reimburse 25.7 million euros to the public authorities out of the 55.8 which are claimed from it. Orpea has been in turmoil since the January revelations of the investigative book The Gravediggers. Orpea is committed “to be reimbursed to the nearest euro” these amounts, “in a spirit of constructive and responsible cooperation with the authorities”.

This sum corresponds to the end-of-year discounts granted by its suppliers for purchases that had been financed by Social Security, but also to the amount of two taxes and insurance costs that the group had included in its calculations to claim public subsidies, the group said in a statement.

On the other hand, the group is contesting the reimbursement of 30.1 million euros that the National Solidarity Fund for Autonomy (CNSA) had also put it on notice to return at the end of July. This sum corresponds to the remuneration of certain employees of the group who “performed function” of nursing assistants without having the qualification. The CNSA considers that these salaries could not be paid for by the public authorities since the people concerned are not caregivers.

For the company, there was no other solution than to hire people without qualifications, “in a general context of shortage of caregivers”, and it believes that it is justified in having them paid by Social Security. Furthermore, it is “generalized practice in private and public nursing homes, essential to ensure the quality of care”according to Orpea.

For the new general manager of Orpea Laurent Guillot, “the refoundation of the company”after the scandal caused by the revelations of journalist Victor Castanet, “passes by the recognition and the change of previous practices and a great cooperation with the authorities”. Justice opened in April a preliminary investigation against Orpea for institutional abuse and financial offences.