MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Macon healthcare facility has been ordered by the court to pay more than $9.6 million in damages and penalties for filing hundreds of fraudulent TRICARE and Medicaid claims.
According to a press release from the Middle District of Georgia Attorney General's Office, Middle Georgia Family Rehab filed approximately 800 false claims for services that were incorrectly billed to Medicaid and TRICARE over an eight-month period, according to court documents. The services were billed under the names of a physical therapist and a speech therapist who were no longer employed and could not possibly have performed the services in question.
U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary says Middle Georgia Family Rehab and its billings should serve as a warning to other health care facilities in Georgia that filing improper and false claims will result in severe consequences. The center has collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from taxpayers by filing improper claims with agencies that are supposed to provide therapy services to children and military families.
Middle Georgia Family Rehab has now been ordered by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III to pay $9,617,679.22 in damages and penalties.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr says, “Middle Georgia Family Rehab was charged with providing reliable health care services to our military families and children in need. However, it has failed in its responsibility by choosing instead to exploit the system. This type of fraudulent behavior is completely unacceptable, and those who abuse our publicly funded health care programs will be held accountable.”
