JOHN CLARENCE BRADLEY, Medicaid Fraud, Oklahoma 2018

A shocking case of Medicaid fraud has been uncovered in Oklahoma, resulting in a 49-year-old behavioral counselor being sentenced to 24 days of weekend jail confinement and five years of probation.

JOHN CLARENCE BRADLEY, a licensed professional counselor, was found guilty of defrauding Medicaid, announced Robert J. Troester of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter.

According to the indictment, Bradley submitted claims to SoonerCare, Oklahoma’s Medicaid Program, for behavioral counseling services provided by Primary Therapeutic Services, RLLP, a company he owned. The OHCA reimbursed Bradley for counseling five minors who turned out to be his niece and nephews.

Regulations and ethical rules governing licensed professional counselors prohibit the counseling of family members. Consequently, Medicaid regulations prohibit reimbursement for counseling family members.

Between October 31, 2013, and July 30, 2017, Bradley caused the OHCA to pay fraudulent counseling claims totaling $182,732.12.

Bradley pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud on March 13, 2018. He agreed to pay $182,732.12 in restitution, partly to SoonerCare via the OHCA and partly to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. To date, he has paid $46,000 of this amount.

On September 25, Chief U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Bradley to 24 days in jail during weekends. In addition, Bradley will be on probation for five years.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Green and Assistant Oklahoma Attorney General Lory Dewey, who also serves as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/behavioral-counselor-sentenced-fraudulent-medicaid-billing