Eighteen Medicaid providers across Ohio have been indicted on charges that they billed the state's health program for more than $355,000 in care that was allegedly never delivered, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson's office announced on Sept. 25. The cases involve 12 home-health aides, five behavioral health providers, and one transportation provider from 12 cities: Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Elyria, Euclid, Maumee, New Albany, Toledo, and Youngstown.
The charges are allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. But the details prosecutors describe point to a harm that reaches beyond taxpayers: when a paid aide or counselor does not show up, the person counting on that visit goes without care.
