Women plead guilty after years of bilking Medicaid

By William D'Urso

Thursday, March 7, 2013 | 5 p.m.

Two women accused of stealing about $1 million in a Medicaid scheme pleaded guilty Wednesday to health care fraud and money laundering charges.

Susan Hill, 65, of Las Vegas along with Cassandra Little, 48, of Reno stole the money from the Nevada Medicaid program from 2007 to 2011, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the district of Nevada said. Hill pleaded guilty to one count each of money laundering and health care fraud while Little pleaded guilty to 28 counts of health care fraud and 10 counts of money laundering.

“The acceptance of guilt by Ms. Hill and Ms. Little is the first step prior to them facing sentencing for these crimes,” said Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto. “This office will make a strong argument at sentencing to ensure that justice is served. The fraud perpetrated by both Ms. Hill and by Ms. Little spanned a number of years and involved Medicaid monies being paid out for services not provided.”

The two face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the health care fraud charges and 20 years and $500,000 on the money laundering charges.

Hill and Little perpetrated their crimes by forming a phony company and entered into a contract with Medicaid of Nevada to provide health services to children, authorities said. Little was able to use a billing code for Nevada Medicaid because of her status as a social worker. Little billed the state Medicaid program $8,000 a month per child but never provided any services. Authorities said Hill and Little kept $5,000 per child and dispensed $3,000 to the family.

The two are set to be sentenced on July 23.