The story is from Charlotte. It is about a gentleman named Cedric Dean. (HT: Carolina Plott Hound)
This “community activist” had spent 28 years behind bars for various crimes including robbery and drug offenses. He became a “prison reform advocate” and was invited in 2019 by Congresswoman Alma Adams to be her guest at the State of The Union address.
Readers will recall that Adams currently represents Charlotte in Congress; but years ago she was the boss of the Simkins PAC here in Greensboro.
In any case, Mr. Dean has just been charged with Medicaid fraud here in North Carolina to the tune of millions. Here is an explanation:
According to civil forfeiture filings, Dean, his company Cedric Dean Holdings (CDH), and others associated with the company executed a health care fraud scheme to obtain Medicaid identification numbers from beneficiaries at homeless shelters, homeless encampments and halfway houses in North Carolina.
The scheme allegedly paid people to recruit Medicaid beneficiaries by providing free or discounted temporary housing, a meal, payment, or other benefits in exchange for their Medicaid identification numbers.
WBTV’s Investigation found that being licensed as a Certified Peer Support Specialist gave Dean and his company the ability to bill for several different services reimbursed by Medicaid. By far the most lucrative service, according to federal court records, was for Mobile Crisis Management, which CDH was reimbursed more than $6.3 million for.
Federal agents even claim that CDH submitted 54 claims for one person after they died, totaling $11,124.
These activities straddled the gubernatorial administrations of Roy Cooper and Josh Stein. In North Carolina, the governor is responsible for the administration of the Medicaid program.
It isn’t just Minnesota and California. In fact, Medicaid is a vast, sprawling program that provides numerous benefits of which the general public is largely unaware. It isn’t just health insurance for the poor and disabled.
One thing seems certain. If they caught this guy in North Carolina, there are likely many more.
Good for the media exposing Dean and his scheme. Has he been charged with a crime? Medicare is the Horn of Plenty for fraudsters.
Yes, he has been charged, Fred. If he is guilty, I hope a conviction is forthcoming.