Cobb Indictment Alleges Four Falsely Billed Medicaid

The Georgia Medicaid program paid a Cobb company more than $650,000 for services that were never rendered, Attorney General Sam Olens said Monday.

First Step Counseling Services Inc., which is south of Terrell Mill Road, was supposed to provide in-home mental health counseling to youths diagnosed with severe behavioral disorders through a Medicaid program known as Intensive Family Intervention.

But according to statement from Olens' office, the couple that owns First Step allegedly submitted bogus billing statements to the Medicaid program from 2006 until 2010.

A Cobb County grand jury Thursday indicted Garry and Lisa Hankerson as well as Pierre Hixon and Londrea Buchanan on charges of violating the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, conspiracy to defraud the state and Medicaid fraud.

Hixon and Buchanan "allegedly signed their names to patient progress notes purporting to have provided IFI services when in fact no services had been rendered, and patient chart documents to support billing for unrendered services were revealed to contain forged signatures," according to a statement from the office of Attorney General Sam Olens.

Violation of the RICO Act carries a five to 20 year prison sentence, as well as a fine of up to three times the financial gain realized by those engaged in the racketeering activity. Medicaid fraud is punishable by one to 10 years in prison and a fine of $10,000. Conspiracy to defraud the state is punishable by one to five years in prison.

The indictment was one of two cases where defendants from Cobb were charged with Medicaid fraud. Robinson Rehabilitation Services Inc. owner and operator Timothy Robinson was indicted the same day on four counts of Medicaid fraud and four counts of identity fraud.