ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County woman on Thursday admitted defrauding Missouri Medicaid via false claims of having provided home health care.
Camille S. Childress, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud. Childress admitted submitting fraudulent documents to enroll her home health care company, Inspiring Angels LLC, with Missouri Medicaid. The paperwork falsely claimed that someone else owned the company, concealing Childress’ ownership and role due to a 2012 criminal conviction.
Childress also admitted submitting fraudulent claims to Missouri Medicaid seeking reimbursement for home healthcare services that were never provided. On numerous occasions, clients were in the hospital and could not have received any health care services at home. On other occasions, Childress submitted claims when the company did not have any timesheet records or documentation of the services. Missouri Medicaid paid at least $174,496 for claims submitted in 2021 and 2022.
Childress is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. She will be ordered to repay the money.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Eastern District of Missouri — U.S. Department of Justice press release.