Wednesday, September 23, 2015

5 Kentwood women booked with Medicaid fraud

Five women from Kentwood have been booked on Medicaid fraud charges, accused of bilking the program for services that were never rendered, state Attorney General James "Buddy" Caldwell's office reported Tuesday (Sept. 22). Four of the women were working as direct care service workers, hired by Medicaid providers to care for physically handicapped or elderly Medicaid recipients, the agency said in a news release.
Bonnie Simmons, 64, was arrested Monday by the attorney general's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and booked with two counts of felony Medicaid fraud. Simmons, a Medicaid recipient who was receiving in-home services from a personal care agency in Hammond, conspired with two service workers to bill the Medicaid program for services that were not provided, the release said. She agreed to sign false time sheets and service logs indicating that the workers provided care seven days a week and, in return, the workers agreed to share their paychecks with Simmons, authorities said.
Simmons is also responsible for another Medicaid recipient, whom she used to further implement the scheme, according to authorities. Simmons allegedly signed false time sheets and service logs claiming that four direct care service workers provided in-home care seven days a week to the other recipient. The four workers then allegedly provided Simmons with a portion of the money.
Endia R. Perry, 24, and Shastian C. Dyson, 27, were booked with two counts of felony Medicaid fraud for allegedly submitting false time sheets and service logs indicating they provided care to Simmons and the other patient.

Angela Sims, 37, and Miadonica Moore, 35, were booked with one count of felony Medicaid fraud for allegedly submitting false time sheets and service logs indicating they provided care to the Medicaid recipient for whom Simmons was responsible.
Each count of Medicaid fraud is punishable by up to five years in prison and up to $20,000 in fines.

All five women were booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison

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