Sometimes people make mistakes and are offered a chance at doing things right the second time around. (Everyone needs a “do-over” at some point in life, but not every action demands a “do-over.”) An article published by The Orlando Sentinel tells about a Florida woman who used her business to bilk the Medicaid program of more than $47,000. The government decided to put a halt to her illegal activities and denied her a second chance at running a legitimate business. (Sometimes, one shot is all you get.)
The article states that the businesswoman owned a company that matched Medicaid beneficiaries who had serious mental health diagnoses with community services. (Prosecutors say the owner paid both employees and clients kickbacks for Medicaid beneficiary referrals to generate new business for the organization.) The owner, along with three other employees, submitted more than $47,000 in fraudulent Medicaid claims for services that were duplicated, not authorized or not provided.
The woman entered a no-contest plea and was found guilty of Medicaid fraud. She received a sentence of 18 months in prison to be followed by five years of probation and must pay restitution for her fraudulent acts. (Congratulations to the judge who ruled that she can no longer work for any Medicaid provider. It looks like this crime was nipped in the bud.)
Ironically, the businesswoman’s company name was Second Chances. (I suppose the name implied that the company’s clients could have another opportunity at a better life through the services offered.) In reality, this fraudster and her employees took away the opportunity for some of the most vulnerable people in society to have a second chance at a better life through legitimate services that they qualified for and deserved.
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