SPOKANE, Wash. — Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced Friday that numerous felony charges have been filed in Spokane County Superior Court against Abilia Healthcare, a Spokane-based health business. Charges have also been filed against the owner, Paul Means.
According to Ferguson, Abilia Healthcare and Means billed Washington state Medicaid for more than $5 million between 2017 and 2020. Charging documents state nearly every claim had at least one fraudulent service claim, including false diagnoses for patients and billing for psychotherapy that never took place.
In 2019, the Medical Fraud Control Division (MFCD) received a referral from the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) showing Abilia Healthcare and Means billed Medicaid for services that did not take place and improper billing codes.
This referral set into motion a review of billing practices and an audit.
Throughout the investigation, it was discovered that Means would submit false billing claims, alter patient medical records and fabricate language to make it look like psychotherapy was provided when it was not.
Means also allegedly recruited, employed, managed, directed, supervised and financed people from the Philippines to assist him in the altering and fabricating of the Medicaid billing claims.
Since receiving an execution of warrants on Nov. 17, 2020, neither Abilia Healthcare nor Means have submitted any new Medicaid claims. The company seems to be closed but remains open as an ongoing legal entity.
Means is charged with:
- One count of Leading Organized Crime
- One count of first-degree Theft
- Two counts of Use of Proceeds of Criminal Profiteering
- 20 counts of Money Laundering
- 43 counts of Medicaid False Statement
- One count of Witness Tampering
Abilia Healthcare is charged with:
- One count of Leading Organized Crime
- One count of first-degree Theft
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