TOPEKA, KAN. - A Topeka woman has pleaded guilty to billing Medicaid for services she did not provide to developmentally disabled adult patients, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall and Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Tuesday.
Kristina Hansel, 45, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty Nov. 28 in federal court in Topeka to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The crimes occurred while Hansel owned and operated Achieve Services, LLC, which was licensed to provide day and residential services to developmentally disabled adults.
In her plea, Hansel admitted the following:
* Billing Medicaid for services not provided.
* Providing false and fraudulent documentation, or no documentation at all.
* Making false and fraudulent statements to obtain and renew her license.
* Failing to hire a Registered Nurse or a License Practical Nurse to provide medical services, including medication administration.
Hansel also admitted that in one case she withheld medical treatment from a patient and directed others to help her cover up medication overdoses so licensing authorities would not learn of the problem.
Sentencing is set for April 17, 2017. The parties have agreed to recommend 30 months in prison and restitution of more than $480,000.
The case was jointly investigated by federal and state authorities and prosecuted by the Kansas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Division. Assistant Attorney General Stefani Hepford of Schmidt’s office prosecuted the case against Hansel.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
