Author: Mary Rupert

KCK personal care attendant charged with health care fraud

A Kansas City, Kan., woman working as a personal care attendant was indicted Wednesday on a federal charge that Medicaid paid more than $587,000 based on fraudulent bills she submitted, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom and Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced.

Doris Betts, 54, Kansas City, Kan., was charged with six counts of health care fraud. The indictment alleged the crimes occurred while Betts was claiming to provide personal services, residential support, day support, and sleep cycle support for seven different Medicaid consumers through four different billing agencies since January 2008.

Personal services include bathing, house cleaning, meal preparation, toileting, transferring and prompting patients to take medication.

The indictment alleges an analysis of Betts’ documentation of services showed:

• She claimed to be with two or more different clients at the same time.

• She claimed to provide services when clients actually were in the hospital.

• She claimed to provide services when she was at her own medical appointments.

• She claimed to provide services at different locations without any travel time between them.

The indictment alleges she documented more than 750 work days that exceeded 24 hours, the highest of which totaled 39.5 hours.

If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

Health and Human Services and Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s Medicaid Fraud Division investigated. Assistant Attorney General Stefani Hepford of the Kansas Attorney General’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway are prosecuting.

Kansas City, Kan., police reports

March 17

Battery, 10th and Central.

Theft, auto, 1600 block of Washington Boulevard, Chrysler Sebring, $5,000 value.

Theft, 00 block of South 13th, four wheels, $4,000 value.

March 16

Theft, 4300 block of Lloyd, Buick LeSabre, $8,000 value.

Theft, 3600 block of Oakland, Cadillac, $1,000 value.

Criminal damage, 4900 block of Kimball, Corvette Stingray, two Pontiac Grand Prix, $1,200 value.

March 13

Criminal use of financial card, theft, 10800 block of Parallel Parkway, currency, $465 value.

Criminal use of financial card, theft, 1200 block of North 7th, currency, $22 value.

March 11

Criminal use of financial card, 7300 block of Leavenworth Road, cash, $400 value.

March 9

Criminal use of financial card, 4900 block of Waverly, cash, $178 value.

March 8

Theft, 700 block of Central, currency, $6,000 value.

Feb. 28

Theft, 2400 block of North 67th, currency, $1,800 value.

KCKCC golfers just miss third in best Jayhawk outing

by Alan Hoskins

Kansas City Kansas Community College’s young golf team turned it its best Jayhawk Conference performance of the season in the fifth designated tournament of the year Sunday and Monday.

Putting together rounds of 296 and 310 for a 606 total, the Blue Devils finished fourth just a stroke back of third place Johnson County (305).

Dodge City continued its season-long dominance of the league with a 3-under par 573 with Hutchinson second (583) in the 36-hole tourney played at Rolling Meadows in Junction City.

Freshmen had the four low scores for KCKCC led by Seve Sites of Shawnee Mission West, who had a 74-75-149 to tie for ninth.

Montana Fasching of Piper was another stroke back at 75-75-150 to tie for 12th while Lane Pauls tied for 19th (73-79-152) and Dalton Ayres shared 24th (74-81-155). Both are from Newton.

Sophomore Collin Herron of Topeka Hayden finished in a tie for 31st at 76-81-157 and Alec Otting of Basehor was 51st with a 90-86-176.

A 10-team tournament, Garden City finished fifth (609) followed by Independence (616), Barton County (632), Coffeyville (635), Allen County (658) and Colby (672).

The Blue Devils will close out KJCCC play April 20-22 when the 54-hole Jayhawk championship tournament will be held at Sand Creek in Newton.