BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said a Quincy dentist will pay $750,000 for allegedly illegally receiving Medicaid payments for emergency dental services.
Healey announced the settlement on Tuesday after alleging Dr. Jennifer Lee and her company Wollaston Dental Care fraudulently billed the state for Medicaid payments between January 2005 and December 2013 resulting in thousands of dollars in overpayments by MassHealth.
“We allege this dentist knowingly and frequently misused this code to overbill MassHealth for emergency services that were not provided,” Healey said. “This settlement will provide restitution to MassHealth and taxpayers, and require the practice’s full compliance with the law going forward.”
Wollaston allegedly used a specific code to bill for palliative emergency treatment of minor dental pain. Healey said an investigation by her office revealed Lee used the code for almost all patient visits even if the dental services that were provided didn't meet the Medicaid requirements.
Under the settlement, Lee, who also operates Alpine Dental in Malden, agreed to comply with state and federal laws, and all applicable regulations that govern MassHealth.
Assistant Attorney General David Scheffler and Investigator Lisa Bailey, of the attorney general's Medicaid Fraud Division handled the matter. MassHealth assisted in the investigation.