Quincy Hodges reports:
A former Louisiana Health and Rehabilitation Options program director was indicted on multiple charges of health care fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Walt Green said in a news release on Tuesday.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 49-year-old Shanta Barnes, of Baton Rouge, with obtaining oxycodone by fraud, Medicaid fraud, and aggravated identity theft while serving as the program director of an in-patient drug rehabilitation and detoxification treatment center in Baton Rouge.
The indictment alleges that Barnes used patient information, without their knowledge or authorization, to fraudulently obtain and distribute thousands of prescription drugs and to fraudulently obtain reimbursement from Medicaid for the drugs, the release says.
Read more on NOLA.com.
Curiously, perhaps, in researching this case, I came across this “imposter alert” in a 2011 edition of The Examiner, A Louisiana State Board of Nursing Publication:
Imposter Alert — “Shanta Barnes”
Please note that an individual giving the name of Shanta Barnes has presented herself for employment at Louisiana Health and Rehabilitation Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as a Registered Nurse from 2006 through 2010. The Louisiana State Board of Nursing could find no record of an individual by that name with the social security number given. If such a person presents herself for employment in Louisiana, please contact the Board office (225-755-7557) so that this matter can be investigated.
Coincidence or significant?