CINCINNATI, Sept. 8, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- -- Attorney Advertising -- The law firm of Statman, Harris & Eyrich, LLC, which has significant experience in class actions, announced today that a class action has been filed against Almost Family Inc. ("Almost Family" or the "Company") (Nasdaq:AFAM) for potential violations of state and federal law. The class action was filed on behalf of purchasers of stock during the period of November 4, 2009 – June 30, 2010 (the "Class Period").
Almost Family, together with its subsidiaries, provides home health services in the United States, operating through two segments, Visiting Nurse and Personal Care.
The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, defendants issued materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's operations and its business and financial results and outlook. Defendants misled investors by failing to disclose that: (i) the Company was deliberately increasing the number of unnecessary home therapy visits in order to receive increased Medicare reimbursements; and (ii) as a result of defendants' conduct, the Company's reported sales and earnings were materially inflated. As a direct result of defendants' false statements, Almost Family's common stock traded at artificially inflated prices during the Class Period, reaching a high of $43.96 per shares on April 29, 2010.
On April 26, 2010, the Wall Street Journal ("WSJ") reported that certain home health providers intentionally increased the number of in-home therapy visits to patients to coincide with higher reimbursement rates through Medicare. According to the WSJ article, the percentage of Almost Family patients receiving 10 visits dropped by 39% from 2007 to 2008, when the 10 visit reimbursement bonus was eliminated from Medicare in January 2008.
As a result of the WSJ article, the Company has come under intense scrutiny, including an inquiry by the United States Senate Finance Committee. On July 1, 2010, Almost Family announced that it had been notified that the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") had launched a formal investigation of the Company. Almost Family also announced that it had received a subpoena from the SEC seeking documents related to the Company's "home health care services and operations, including reimbursements under the Medicare home health prospective payment system, since January 1, 2000." As a result of this negative news, Almost Family's common stock fell $3.88 per share or 11.11%, on July 1, 2010, on high volume.
If you purchased shares of Almost Family during the Class Period, you have until October 4, 2010 to ask the Court to appoint you as lead plaintiff for the class. If you would like more information about your shareholder rights, contact attorneys Melinda Nenning or Elizabeth Hutton for further information without any obligation or cost to you at (513) 345-8181, Ext. 3095, or by email at mnenning@statmanharris.com or ehutton@statmanharris.com.
Statman, Harris & Eyrich, LLC has offices in Chicago, Illinois; Cincinnati, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; and Sarasota, Florida. www.statmanharris.com