Rehabilitation center in Macon admits to falsifying documents during fraud investigation. Owner pleads guilty

The owner of a Macon-area rehabilitation center admitted Wednesday to directing two employees to alter documents as part of a federal investigation into billing fraud in 2019, the Justice Department said.

Brenda Hicks, the owner of Middle Georgia Family Rehab, ordered the manipulation after investigators requested patient records to investigate allegations that the center had made false statements to health insurers about the services patients had received.

Hicks then informed the two employees that the order was an audit and that they would have to prepare and sign the requested documents if they were missing or unsigned.

One of the employees quit after suspecting their actions were illegal, while the other employee stayed and continued to add notes and signatures to patient documents, according to the Justice Department. Middle Georgia Family Rehab turned the documents over to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division in December 2019.

Hicks admitted to altering the documents and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct justice as part of a plea agreement. She faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, followed by three years of probation and a $250,000 fine. The agreement also requires Hicks to pay restitution to affected organizations, including Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

The verdict is scheduled for September 5.

“Anyone who attempts to alter or destroy documents requested in a federal investigation faces federal criminal prosecution for violating law,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “In the interest of justice and truth, it is imperative that the integrity of the investigation be maintained for the benefit of all parties.”

U.S. District Judge Tilman E. Self ordered in June 2022 that Middle Georgia Family Rehab pay the companies more than $9.6 million in damages and penalties for the fraudulent billing.

At the time of the ruling, Leary said the center had collected hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars through the billing system.

“Middle Georgia Family Rehab’s ‘reckless disregard’ for its billing should serve as a warning to other healthcare facilities in Georgia – and across the country – that submitting improper and false claims will result in severe consequences,” Leary said.