Press Releases
08/01/2024
Attorney General Tong Announces $186,731 False Claims Act Judgment Against Newtown Therapist
(Hartford, CT) –Attorney General William Tong today announced a $186,731 civil judgment secured this week against Newtown registered nurse Jeannie V. Pasacreta following a pervasive illegal scheme to bill the Connecticut Medicaid program for psychotherapy and medical services she never provided.From 2013 through to 2018, Pasacreta was a Medicaid provider who operated a psychotherapy and medication administration practice known as Integrated Mental Health Services, LLC in Newtown. A joint investigation conducted by the Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State’s Attorney’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit revealed that during the period from 2016 or earlier and continuing through 2018, Pasacreta knowingly created and submitted false claims to the Connecticut Medicaid program and collected tens of thousands of dollars for psychotherapy and medical services that she never provided to her Medicaid patients.
The investigation found that Pasacreta’s fraudulent claims used billing codes that reimbursed her at the highest possible rates, for the longest psychotherapy sessions, and for the most complex medical services. The investigation found evidence of hundreds of instances where Pasacreta appeared to provide no treatment to the individual patient on the dates billed.
“This case involved fabrication of hundreds of false claims, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in payments for services never provided. This civil judgment follows a related guilty plea, both of which will result in significant restitution for the Connecticut Medicaid program,” said Attorney General Tong.
The Office of the Attorney General thanks the Connecticut Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Department of Social Services, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- Office of the Inspector General for their partnership in this investigation.
Anyone with knowledge of suspected fraud or abuse in the public healthcare system is asked to contact the Attorney General’s Government Fraud Section at 860-808-5040 or by email at ag.fraud@ct.gov; the Connecticut Medicaid Fraud Control Unit at 860-258-5986 or by email at conndcj@ct.gov; or the Connecticut Department of Social Services fraud reporting hotline at 1-800-842-2155, online at www.ct.gov/dss/reportingfraud, or by email to providerfraud.dss@ct.gov.
Assistant Attorney General Richard Porter, Forensic Fraud Examiner Thomas Martin, and Deputy Associate Attorney General Gregory O’Connell, Chief of the Government Fraud Section assisted the Attorney General in this matter.
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Media Contact:
Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov
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