EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – The owner of Equine Assisted Programs of Southern New Mexico (EAP) in Las Cruces, which uses animals for mental health therapy, was indicted on Wednesday, March 5, for submitting false Medicaid claims totaling nearly $1 million, the New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ) said in a news release.
NMDOJ said Nancy Marshall is charged with 18 felonies, including one count of fraud, nine counts of Medicaid fraud, six counts of falsification of documents, and two counts of identity theft. If convicted on all counts, Marshall could face over 80 years in prison, NMDOJ added.
“Medical providers should be held accountable not only for their duties to their patients but should also be held to high standards when it comes to accurate and lawful billing,” said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. “This indictment should be a powerful signal to anyone who thinks they can take advantage of patients and taxpayers: we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
NMDOJ said the case was brought to their attention after two key staff members terminated their employment with EAP.
These employees expressed concerns regarding improper practices that they witnessed while employed by Marshall, while also expressing concern for the patients of EAP, NMDOJ said.
The NMDOJ’s Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Bureau (MFEAB) conducted an investigation, and “unveiled a multitude of alleged false Medicaid claims over approximately two and a half years, including allegations that the defendant was billing for services that were never rendered, billing for treatment of children who were actually in school at the time of the alleged service and committing identity theft by utilizing the National Provider Identifier (NPI) numbers of other therapists for improper billing.”
Read: Read More