Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011 | 10:46 a.m.
A Las Vegas resident charged with a gross misdemeanor Medicaid fraud offense received a suspended 90-day jail sentence, Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto said today.
Yolanda Hoskins, 44, also was ordered by Clark County District Court hearing master Melisa De La Garza to pay $5,470 in restitution, penalties and costs and perform 80 hours of community service.
The case was investigated and prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
“Medicaid fraud of any amount must not be tolerated and continuing prosecution of these crimes sends a message to those in the health care community that fraud involving Medicaid and its recipients will not go unpunished,” Masto said. “Prosecution of these crimes ensures the integrity of Medicaid and restitution payments returns money to the program for use by those in need of services.”
The investigation began in 2009 after information was obtained that Hoskins was not providing personal care aid services to a Medicaid recipient and was receiving payment for those services. Medicaid has a personal care aid program to keep people living independently in their own homes by providing basic services, including bathing, dressing, house cleaning and meal preparation.
Medicaid contracts with home care companies that employ individuals to provide the actual day-to-day care. The investigation developed information that Hoskins failed to provide care services for the patient for whom she was employed, yet claimed that she performed the services and received payment as if she had actually performed the services.
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