Attorney General Michelle Henry has announced charges against Tina Bell, the owner and manager of Superior Health, Inc., a home care agency in Erie County. Bell is accused of Medicaid fraud and endangering vulnerable individuals under her care. Although licensed to provide non-medical care, Bell operated shared-care homes where Medicaid consumers lived and billed for medical care by misrepresenting the qualifications of caregivers or the location of services.
Bell, aged 56 from Berks County, faces charges including theft by deception, receiving stolen property, Medicaid fraud, tampering with public records, and neglect of a care-dependent person. Her bail has been set at $100,000.
The investigation by the Office of Attorney General revealed that Bell obtained over $1 million in Medicaid funds for work that was either not performed or inadequately executed, putting dependent individuals at risk. She also falsified documents during state audits to maintain her fraudulent activities.
“The defendant allegedly put patients at risk while providing subpar care and services, and defrauded a system designed to help the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians,” Attorney General Henry stated. “My office takes a hard stance against individuals and businesses that break the law to prioritize personal profits over people.”
The inquiry found that Bell failed to ensure adequate staffing and care levels and directed an unlicensed individual to carry out nursing duties. During an audit by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, she allegedly falsified records to hide significant shortcomings such as understaffing and lack of mandatory training.
Bell's preliminary hearing is set for January 31. The case will be prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Samuel Zappala and Attorney-In-Charge Kee Song from the Medicaid Fraud Control Section. It is important to note that Bell is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Funding for the Pennsylvania Medicaid Fraud Control Unit comes partly from a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant totaling $12,839,940 for Federal fiscal year 2025. The remaining portion amounting to $4,279,979 is funded by Pennsylvania.