Central Florida Woman Arrested for Fraudulently Billing More Than $49,000 to Medicaid

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today announced the arrest of an individual on charges of Medicaid provider fraud. Teresa B. Moore is accused of engaging in a systematic scheme to fraudulently bill the Medicaid system, including billing for services not rendered and submitting false claims of approximately $49,500. The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office arrested Moore in Louisiana and will extradite Moore back to Florida.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Because of the diligent efforts of our Medicaid Fraud investigators, this fraudulent scheme bilking the Medicaid program out of thousands of dollars has been thwarted, and the person responsible will face justice. My Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has worked hard to investigate and bring charges against those who would abuse and misuse the Medicaid program. Thanks to my MFCU, this woman, who fraudulently billed more than $49,000 to Medicaid, will now be brought to justice.”

WellCare Health Plans, Inc., a Medicaid managed care organization, referred the case to the MFCU after the mother of a Medicaid recipient noticed billing for home health services that were never provided to the recipient. Moore is the business owner of Gifted Hands Homecare, LLC. Further investigation revealed that Moore continued to bill for services even after the recipient gave direct notice to Moore that services were not needed during college holiday breaks. Moore fraudulently billed the Medicaid program approximately $49,500 and provided no documentation to support the billing.

OPSO arrested Moore on an arrest warrant issued in the Attorney General’s MFCU investigation of Moore. Moore is charged with one count of Medicaid provider fraud, a second-degree felony. Moore faces up to 15 years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.

The State Attorney’s Office in the Ninth Judicial Circuit will prosecute the case.
 
The Florida Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates and prosecutes providers that intentionally defraud the state’s Medicaid program through fraudulent billing practices. Medicaid fraud essentially steals from Florida’s taxpayers. From Jan. 2019 to the present, Attorney General Moody’s MFCU has obtained more than $40 million in settlements and judgments. Additionally, the MFCU investigates allegations of patient abuse, neglect, and exploitation in facilities receiving payments under the Medicaid program.