Attorney General William Tong and Vanessa Roberts Avery, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, have announced a settlement involving Home Care VNA LLC. The home health agency, along with its current owner Shakira Lubega and former owner Constant Ogutt, has agreed to pay $361,520. This settlement addresses allegations of Medicaid regulation violations related to plans of care.
Home Care VNA operates out of 330 Main Street in Hartford. Lubega is currently the owner, while Ogutt is a former part-owner; they are married. According to the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, payment for home health care services requires each patient to have a signed plan of care within specific time frames.
The U.S. and Connecticut state authorities allege that Home Care VNA submitted claims for reimbursement to Medicaid without proper or any plans of care. To settle these False Claims Act allegations, the parties agreed on a payment covering activities from August 1, 2018, through March 26, 2020.
"Approved care plans ensure that patients receive, and Medicaid covers, appropriate and necessary care," stated Attorney General Tong. He emphasized the importance of following regulations as a licensed Medicaid provider and committed to protecting public healthcare investments in coordination with federal and state partners.
In a previous case in 2022, Home Care VNA settled Medicaid fraud allegations in Massachusetts for $630,000.
The public is encouraged to report suspected fraud or abuse in the healthcare system through various contact points provided by the authorities.
Assistant Attorney General Joshua L. Jackson and Forensic Fraud Examiners Thomas Martin and Lisa Bailey assisted Attorney General Tong in this matter alongside Deputy Associate Attorney General Gregory O’Connell.