Two owners of a chain of addiction treatment centers in Massachusetts were charged in connection with millions of dollars of healthcare fraud connected to fraudulent billings, the Justice Department said March 2.
Michael Brier, 60, and Mi Ok Bruining, 62, and their company Recovery Connections Centers of America were charged with healthcare fraud. Mr. Brier was also charged with aggravated identity theft, money laundering and obstruction.
The two business owners "shortchanged Rhode Island and Massachusetts substance abuse disorder patients out of much needed counseling and treatment services, while defrauding Medicare, Medicaid and other health insurers out of millions of dollars," according to the Justice Department.
Mr. Brier and Ms. Bruining allegedly billed Medicare, Medicaid and payers for 45-minute counseling sessions while offering these sessions for 5 to 15 minutes.
"At times, so many counseling sessions were billed at this level that the total amount of time would be impossible for the available therapist to have provided in any 24 hours period," the Justice Department said.
To read the other charges, click here.