Woman sentenced in Medicaid fraud case

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - A woman who altered and falsified documents on the behalf of a health care provider and collected more than $600,000 in benefits has been sentenced to 10 months in prison.

According to Peter Carr with the U.S. Attorney's Office, 41-year-old Lynette Smith, an employee of A Caring Hand Home Health Care Service, Inc., submitted to Medicaid approximately 900 falsified claims for payment being provided to 30 recipients. These crimes happened between January 2008 through October 2011.

None of the services were actually provided, and Smith, along with co-conspirator and A Caring Hand owner Janice W. Holland collected approximately $630,000 in health care benefit payments.

From September 2010 through Oct. 6, 2011, the two women, along with other A Helping Hand staffers altered documents to conceal Holland and Smith's involvement in creating falsified claims. 

Holland also pleaded guilty to health care fraud, altercation of records and aggravated identity theft, and is due back in court for sentencing Jan. 22, 2013.