The nonprofit is accused of causing a third-party lab to submit excessive drug tests for reimbursement between July 2018 and June 2021, officials said.
PORTLAND, Maine — The Opportunity Alliance has agreed to pay $346,369 to settle allegations that it caused false drug testing claims to be submitted to Medicare and MaineCare, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maine.
The South Portland nonprofit operates Morrison Place, a residential treatment program for unhoused individuals with mental illness or substance use disorders, and allegedly caused a third-party lab to submit excessive urine drug tests not approved as medically necessary for reimbursement between July 2018 and June 2021.
The U.S. and the state of Maine filed a civil complaint on May 22 in U.S. District Court in Portland.
The complaint claims The Opportunity Alliance sent medical providers misleading urine drug test requisition forms, then directed the lab to perform "an excessive number of presumptive and definitive drug tests" on certain clients, regardless of individualized treatment plans, for up to a full year.
The lab, referred to as "Laboratory A," billed Medicare and MaineCare directly under an agreement with The Opportunity Alliance.
"Such tests were not individually approved as medically necessary, were performed without a valid order from a medical provider, and were used by The Opportunity Alliance as a means of performing residential monitoring in...
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