AG Coakley: 8 charged in Medicaid care fraud cases

BOSTON (AP) - Attorney General Martha Coakley says eight people have been charged with falsely billing the state Medicaid program for about $260,000 in personal attendant services.

Coakley said Wednesday that five personal care attendants and three people representing patients were charged in cases this week in Worcester, Hampshire and Hampden counties and in Boston.

Among them is a Holyoke woman accused of billing for services to a dead person, and for services she claimed were done by her jailed brother. A West Boylston woman and her brother are accused of falsely billing for services for her disabled son by the brother, who wasn't in Massachusetts.

The program allows people with long-term or chronic disabilities to hire home personal care attendants. It also allows a surrogate, usually a family member, to manage the attendant if the recipient can't.

Cox Media Group