February 8, 2019

Two executives from the South Carolina Early Autism Project (SCEAP) have been convicted of causing false statements to be submitted to Medicare and TRICARE and causing them to be overcharged by millions of dollars. According to statements by SCEAP employees, co-founder Ann Davis Eldridge and executive Angela Breitweiser Keith instructed employees to include travel and wait time in their billing in order to inflate time spent providing services. To further incentivize this practice, they implemented billing goals that had to be met in order to qualify for bonuses such as gift cards and vacations, all paid for by the company. Since then SCEAP has repaid almost $9 million, and as part of their plea agreement, both Keith and Eldridge will serve 1-year sentences. USAO SC

Tagged in: Healthcare Fraud, Medical Billing Fraud, Medicare, Other Government Health Programs, Provider Fraud,