Services were billed while beneficiaries were on Caribbean cruise
Four St. Charles Parish residents were arrested April 28 in connection with a Medicaid scam ring while the actual recipients were on a Caribbean cruise.
Breonna L. Diggs, 23, of Boutte, and her mother, Yvette M. Diggs, 44, of Luling, were each charged with two counts of Medicaid fraud, according to state Attorney General Buddy Caldwell.
Also, Denene R. Thomas, 50, and her brother Fernandez Robertson Jr., 59, both of Hahnville, have been arrested and each charged on a single count of Medicaid fraud.
The four were taken into custody after an investigation by the AG’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit revealed the state’s Medicaid program was billed for in-home personal care services while the Medicaid recipients supposedly getting care were actually on a Caribbean cruise.
Breonna and Yvette Diggs are accused of defrauding the Medicaid program by submitting fraudulent claims for medical services that were not rendered, according to investigators.
Breonna Diggs worked as a personal care attendant providing in-home care services to her mother and brother. She is accused of submitting false timesheets and service logs for payment to her employer indicating that she was providing personal care services to her mother and brother on numerous occasions between Jan. 21-Jan. 26, 2013 when she was actually attending school in Houston, Texas.
Investigators also revealed, during this same time period, that Breonna Diggs submitted claims for payment while her mother and brother were on a cruise to the Caribbean. Upon their return, Yvette Diggs signed off on service logs for herself and her son, as if they were both at home receiving caregiver services from Breonna Diggs.
Thomas worked for a Medicaid provider as a personal care attendant providing in-home care services to her older brother, Robertson.
Thomas is accused of billing the Medicaid Program for about 19 hours of caregiver services during the six-day period when Robertson was also out of town on the same cruise with Yvette Diggs.
Robertson signed service logs verifying he received care from his sister during the dates and times he was on board the vacation cruise line.
Personal care attendants are hired by Medicaid providers to care for physically handicapped or elderly Medicaid recipients. They provide caregiver services such as cooking, grooming and bathing.
All four individuals were arrested by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit with assistance from the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office. They were transported to the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and booked on charges.
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