Medicare fraudster behind bars with child for a year

Sarah Ward will spend at least a year behind bars with her youngest child for Medicare fraud. Photo: AAP

A Melbourne mum and her young son will spend at least 12 months behind bars after she stole nearly $200,000 from Medicare while working at a medical clinic.

Sarah Ward, 31, made more than 1600 false claims to Medicare, sometimes up to 80 a day, while working as a medical receptionist at the Melbourne Digestive Centre.