Owners of Atlanta behavioral health center indicted for Medicaid fraud, Georgia AG says
The Georgia Attorney General's Office has indicted two Woodstock residents accused of defrauding Medicaid of more than $1.4 million.
Kim and Marcel Higgins, the owners of Atlanta's Overcomers Day Services, LLC, are facing a combined 23 counts of Medicaid fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit Medicaid fraud.
According to the indictment, Marcel Higgins worked as a paraprofessional providing Intensive Family Intervention services to children enrolled in Georgia Medicaid. Kim Higgins served as the office administrator for the business and submitted claims to the program.
Prosecutors claim that from October 2017 to July 2023, the pair submitted claims to receive payments for both services they never provided or services that were provided by "unqualified individuals," including Kim Higgins.
When a state investigator asked the business to provide progress notes and other records, officials say they gave her documents "which contained false and fraudulent information."
"Those who commit Medicaid fraud are stealing from taxpayers, and they're abusing a program that's meant to care for our most vulnerable Georgians," Attorney General Chris Carr said. "Theft of public funds won't be tolerated, and anyone who attempts to exploit the system will be held accountable by our office."
A DeKalb County grand jury indicted the pair on Dec. 10.
Authorities say the Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division has secured over 90 convictions for Medicaid Fraud since 2016, with over $19 million in restitution.