Press Releases
04/18/2023
New Hampshire Woman Sentenced for Medicaid Fraud
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE(Rocky Hill, CT) - A New Hampshire woman and former owner and performing provider for K-Assist LLC, a Connecticut behavioral health agency, was found guilty in Hartford Superior Court on April 17, 2023, of defrauding Medicaid by billing the government insurance program for thousands of dollars she was not entitled to.
Kelly Ann Stutzman, of Rindge, New Hampshire, pleaded nolo contendre in Hartford Superior Court to one count of Health Insurance Fraud, in violation of Connecticut General Statute § 53-442. In addition, the defendant was ordered to pay $63,764.23 in restitution.
By being found guilty of a program-related felony, the defendant also is subject to mandatory exclusion as a health care provider to certain federally funded health programs pursuant to federal and state laws and regulations. Medicaid is a government program that provides health coverage to low-income and disabled individuals, and is financed both by the federal and state governments and administered by the Connecticut Department of Social Services.
An investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney determined that between March 2016 and December 2019, behavioral health service claims submitted by Stutzman were provided by interns and unlicensed people yet Stutzman was billing as if she provided licensed qualified services herself. Stutzman also billed for services while clients were inpatient or in skilled care facilities and services were not performed.
The Honorable David P. Gold sentenced Stutzman to a 3-year suspended jail sentence and 5 years of conditional discharge. Along with the condition of restitution in the amount of $63,764.23, Stutzman was ordered not to act as a provider in the Medicaid Program.
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit would like to thank the Connecticut Department of Social Services Office of Quality Assurance, the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office, the U.S Attorney’s Office and the Rocky Hill Police Department.
Anyone with knowledge of suspected fraud and abuse in the public healthcare system is asked to contact the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit at the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney at (860) 258-5929.