Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Billed Medicaid for care two months after grandmother’s death

OLYMPIA— The Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) filed felony criminal charges against Burnice R. Thompson in Thurston County Superior Court today.  

Thompson was paid to care for her grandmother, a Medicaid recipient who passed away in November 2012. She is charged with one count of Theft in the First Degree and two counts of Medicaid False Statement for continuing to bill Medicaid for care hours two months after her grandmother had passed away, costing the Medicaid program $6,152.38.  

Arraignment will be set for Tuesday, July 30, at the Thurston County Courthouse.

The case was referred to the Office of the Attorney General by Aging and Disability Services of Seattle/King County.  

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
    

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