3 charged with Medicaid fraud

Last update: November 4, 2009 - 8:29 PM

The owner of a Brooklyn Park personal care firm and two workers have been charged in federal court with fraudulently getting more than $89,000 from Medicaid.

The indictment was unsealed Wednesday against Patrick Daniel Osei, the owner of Advance Home Health, as well as care assistants Crecida Marie Cade and Sabrina Marie Peterson.

The three are accused of conspiring to defraud Medicaid through false claims to the state Department of Human Services for in-home personal care for two clients. Also, according to the indictment, they caused payments to Medicaid recipients in exchange for the firm billing for services that weren't provided.

According to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office, the fraud included claims for one client of 5,352 hours of care from October 2007 to late September of this year when less than five hours were provided. Medicaid paid Advance $84,497.54 for the claim. That client was allegedly paid $800.

Osei, 49, of Brooklyn Park, is charged with 15 counts of health care fraud and four counts of illegal remuneration, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Cade, 47, of Fridley, is charged with one count of conspiracy and six counts of health care fraud. Peterson, 38, of Minneapolis, is charged with one count of conspiracy and nine counts of health care fraud.

VINCE TUSS

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