Federal officials have announced that a home health care provider in the St. Louis region has agreed to pay more than $500,000 to resolve allegations that it submitted false claims to Medicaid. The settlement followed a federal review of billing practices tied to one of the company’s former workers.
Under the agreement, Deer Valley Home Health Services LLC will repay $534,475 to the federal government and the state of Missouri. Investigators allege the funds were improperly billed between October 2022 and May 2023. Authorities said the company submitted claims on behalf of an individual who first worked as a contractor before becoming an employee.
According to the government, the worker falsely enhanced his educational qualifications and claimed to have provided over 24 hours of services in a single day. Officials said he reported conducting applied behavior analysis therapy, including assessments and treatment plans for people with behavioral or developmental needs, despite not being qualified to deliver those services.
The employee departed the company around May 2023. Deer Valley Home Health Services reported concerns about his conduct two months later, in July 2023, roughly 0.17 years afterward, and cooperated with investigators. Company representatives, however, denied having knowledge that false claims were being filed.
The settlement reflects ongoing efforts to safeguard Medicaid from fraudulent billing, said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S....
Federal officials have announced that a home health care provider in the St. Louis region has agreed to pay more than $500,000 to resolve allegations that it submitted false claims to Medicaid. Th...