NEW HAVEN – A Bristol woman was indicted on nearly two dozen counts of Medicaid fraud after a joint state and federal investigation, the U.S. Attorneys office announced.
Ronnette Brown, 43, was charged with 23 counts of health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, according to the U.S. Attorneys office.
She was arrested, entered a plea of not guilty in federal court, and was released on $100,000 bail.
Authorities said that the charges stem from an ongoing health care fraud investigation into fraudulent activity in the area of behavioral health services. Through the Medicaid program, the State of Connecticut provides coverage for mental health and counseling services to citizens who cannot otherwise afford health insurance.
According to court documents, Brown was the owner and operator of We-Mpact, a social services business with offices in Bristol and Torrington, billed Medicaid for psychotherapy services that were never done.
Each of the 24 counts in the indictment carries a maximum term of 10 years in federal prison.
Two other women were charged in the scheme, according to the U.S. Attorneys office, and await sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Daly and Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen also announced that Naimetulla Syed, M.D., a physician with a private practice in Newtown, has agreed to pay $422,641.70 to resolve allegations that Syed submitted false claims to Medicare and Medicaid. The investigation revealed that on numerous occasions between July 2009 and December 2013, Syed billed Medicare and Medicaid for psychotherapy services using a code for individual psychotherapy lasting 45 to 50 minutes, face to face with a patient, and medical evaluation and management services. In the vast majority of these cases, Syed saw his patients for between five and 30 minutes, at most, and did not perform medical evaluation and management services.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
