Prairie State Wire

Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a Cook County judge found the owner of a medical equipment company and the company’s biller guilty of defrauding the state out of more than $100,000 in Medicaid funds.

Doreatha Thomas, 60, and Siobahan Booker, 39, both of Olympia Fields, were found guilty in Cook County Circuit Court of two counts of theft, a Class X felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison, and one count of vendor fraud, a Class 1 felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Their bond was revoked, and they are in custody at the Cook County jail. Their sentencing is scheduled for July 19.

“I am pleased the judge’s verdict will hold these individuals accountable for abusing a critical program thousands of Illinois residents rely on for their health care. I will not tolerate actions of those who abuse Medicaid for their own financial benefit,” Raoul said. “My office will continue to work with our state government partners to identify fraud and hold those who engage in Medicaid fraud fully accountable to the people of Illinois.”

Thomas owned Integrity Medical & Physician Supplies, a medical equipment supply company in Olympia Fields that sold hospital beds, wheelchairs, canes, and urinary incontinence supplies as well as medical supplies for diabetes patients. Raoul alleged that Thomas and Booker submitted fraudulent claims to Illinois’ Medicaid program for diabetic supplies that were not provided. In several instances, according to Raoul’s office, Integrity Medical & Physician Supplies billed the Medicaid program for more boxes of continuous glucose monitor sensors than patients were actually prescribed. In total, Thomas and Booker allegedly defrauded Illinois’ Medicaid program out of nearly $685,000.

The Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Control Bureau conducted the investigation into Integrity Medical & Physician Supplies and alleged fraudulent billing practices by Thomas and Booker following a referral from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Office of the Inspector General and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois.

Supervising Attorney Steve Krueger and Assistant Attorney General Melissa Taormina Guske prosecuted this case for Raoul’s Medicaid Fraud Bureau.

Original source can be found here.