Other LanguagesPair left elderly Washington in-home patient without proper healthcare services for several months while claiming payments in North Carolina
SPOKANE — The Washington State Attorney General’s Office today announced that a mother and son, who were contracted to provide care to a home-healthcare program client in Spokane, pleaded guilty to stealing $17,696 from state and federal health care programs.
“Healthcare providers who steal from taxpayers and do not provide appropriate patient care will be held accountable in Washington,” said Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
On July 2, the Attorney General’s Office filed a series of Medicaid fraud-related criminal charges in Spokane County Superior Court against Lubov Patinskaya and Aleksandr Patinskiy of North Carolina.
On the afternoon of Nov. 25, Patinskaya pled guilty as charged to a felony count of First Degree Theft and seven additional felony counts of making a Medicaid False Statement. Patinskaya’s son, Patinskiy, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of Attempted Second Degree Theft for his role in the case.
As part of the plea, Patinskaya and Patinskiy, who are first time offenders, will have to pay fines and will be ordered to repay the Medicaid program $17,696 at the time of sentencing. The convictions make them ineligible to provide healthcare services in the future.
The pair contracted to provide in-home care to the client through the Department of Social and Health Service’s (DSHS) Community Options Program Entry System (COPES). From December 2009 to July 2010, state investigators say the Patinskaya illegally billed Medicaid, receiving payments for services that Patinskaya did not actually provide to their client.
In July 2010, DSHS made the MFCU aware of the suspicious activity when they received a tip that the patient was not receiving proper care.
MFCU Investigator Larry Carlier discovered that Patinskaya and Patinskiy had billed DSHS for allegedly providing in-home care to the Spokane patient after they had moved to North Carolina. Assistant Attorney General Marty Raap prosecuted the case.
The Washington State Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates and prosecutes fraud by health care providers. The unit also monitors complaints of resident abuse or neglect in Medicaid funded nursing homes, adult family homes and boarding homes providing valuable assistance to the local law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting crimes committed against vulnerable adults.
- Report suspected Medicaid fraud: 1-800-562-6906 or send an email to HotTips@hca.wa.gov.
- You can also report provider fraud via the Attorney General’s Office Web site.
The Department of Social and Health Services Office of Fraud & Accountability investigates client fraud.
- You can report Medicaid Client Fraud via the Department’s Online Complaint Form, call the Welfare Fraud Hotline at 1-800-562-6906 or send the complaint to Welfare Fraud Hotline, P.O. Box 45817, Olympia, Washington 98504-5817.
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The Office of the Attorney General is the chief legal office for the state of Washington with attorneys and staff in 27 divisions across the state providing legal services to roughly 200 state agencies, boards and commissions. Attorney General Bob Ferguson is working hard to protect consumers and seniors against fraud, keep our communities safe, protect our environment and stand up for our veterans.
Contacts: Janelle Guthrie, Director of Communications, (360) 586-0725 or Alison Dempsey-Hall, Deputy Communications Director, (206) 641-1335