The owner of a Minneapolis home health care company admitted Tuesday that he cheated Medicaid out of more than $400,000 by submitting bogus claims to the federal program that serves low-income patients.
Joseph V. Lavien, 57, of Brooklyn Park, pleaded guilty in federal court in Minneapolis to health care fraud.
According to the plea agreement: Lavien filed fake claims during 2008 and 2009 on behalf of Palm Healthcare Services. The claims involved billing for services not provided to patients, for more services than authorized, for more services than could be performed in a particular day or month, and for supervision services rendered by an eligible provider. They also included submitting false records in support of reimbursement claims. Authorities estimate the full loss at $412,000.
The company had been operating on E. Lake Street just east of Nicollet Avenue, sharing a storefront with a market.
Lavien also admitted to defrauding the state's MinnesotaCare insurance program, which pays insurance premiums for low-income residents, out of nearly $84,000.
Sentencing for Lavien has yet to be scheduled.
PAUL WALSH
