Melissa Harr, Healthcare Fraud, Virginia 2023

A Bristol woman has pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges related to a healthcare fraud scheme that bilked Virginia Medicaid out of over $207,000.

Melissa Harr, 49, admitted in court that she and her husband, Bryan Harr Sr., 40, hired Deborah Branch, 64, to provide services to their son, who suffers from intellectual and physical disabilities. However, Branch submitted time sheets claiming she was providing services when she was not, in exchange for approximately $200 every two weeks from the Harrs.

The scheme, which ran from January 2010 to September 2015, resulted in Virginia Medicaid paying out $350,641.02 to contractors based on the fake time sheets. Of that amount, $207,854.43 was paid to Branch, who was working with two different Medicaid contractors: Public Partnerships, LLC and ResCare (formerly known as Creative Family Solutions).

The investigation into the case was conducted by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Bristol Virginia Police Department.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Janine M. Myatt, a Virginia Assistant Attorney General, is prosecuting the case for the United States. The scheme has left many in the community questioning the integrity of the Virginia Medicaid system and the need for greater oversight.

The case highlights the vulnerabilities of Medicaid programs and the importance of ensuring that those who are eligible for services receive the care they need, while those who exploit the system are held accountable.

The guilty plea is a significant step towards justice for the victims of this scheme and sends a clear message that those who engage in healthcare fraud will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

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