Four people have been charged in federal court in Ohio in what authorities described as a $30 million fraud conspiracy involving billing for children’s behavioral health services that were not provided.
According to a June 4 Justice Department news release, two defendants owned and operated behavioral health service organizations, claiming to provide therapeutic behavioral services and psychotherapy to children and young adults attending summer camps, church groups and recreational programs. The defendants are accused of conspiring to “submit false and fraudulent claims for services that were medically unnecessary and not provided as represented.”
The defendants also are accused of conspiring with a co-defendant to continue submitting the claims through a different entity after one company failed to renew its credentialing with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and could no longer submit claims for mental health services to Medicaid, according to the release.
Investigators said participants were required to complete intake packets and provide Medicaid recipient numbers, CBS News reported June 4. Although a medical assessment was required before billing, authorities alleged no assessment testing was conducted and no behavioral services were provided.
All four defendants turned themselves in to authorities, and 14 vehicles were seized as part of the investigation, according to the report.
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