Counseling Center Official Charged With Medicaid Fraud

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma Attorney General's office on Friday charged an Oklahoma City family counseling center official with six felony counts and one misdemeanor count of Medicaid fraud.

Friday, May 18th 2007, 6:52 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma Attorney General's office on Friday charged an Oklahoma City family counseling center official with six felony counts and one misdemeanor count of Medicaid fraud.

Godfrey Eze Uwudia, executive director and part owner of Sooner Youth and Family Counseling Services, is accused of falsely billing the Oklahoma Health Care Authority $163,001.51 for services that weren't provided, Attorney General Drew Edmondson said.

``We believe Mr. Uwudia directed his staff to prepare false treatment notes, and that he forged the signatures of doctors and social workers in order to obtain payment for services that were not provided,'' Edmondson said.

According to an affidavit, Uwudia directed staff members to work after hours to sign clinicians' names to progress notes that were necessary for accreditation. He allegedly directed at least one staffer to perform counseling that went beyond her qualification level, the attorney general's office said.

``... These patients entrusted him with their well-being and, in some instances, the well-being of their children,'' Edmondson said. ``Neither the patients, nor the state got the quality health care they deserved from Godfrey Uwudia.''