Medicaid fraud unit brings in $1 million

The state's Medicaid Fraud Unit brought in settlements totaling $1 million in 1999.

Unit Director Tim Terry said several big cases were settled over the past year with the state winning awards of $156,702 from Summit Behavioral Partners and $175,000 from Dr. Mitchel Phillips of Las Vegas.

Terry said the biggest was a December settlement by Apogee Health Services which agreed to pay $455,000 to settle claims of improper billings to the Nevada Medicaid Program.

The Medicaid Fraud Unit was created by the 1991 Legislature to fight Medicaid fraud and investigate cases of elder abuse and neglect. The state funds 25 percent of the cost of the unit with the federal government paying the rest.