Owner of Bridgeport child autism services agency pleads guilty to Medicaid fraud

Nicole M. Balkas, owner of Bridgeport’s Helping Hands Academy LLC, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of health care fraud related to the Medicaid program.

Balkas”™ business provided applied behavior analysis services to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Helping Hands Academy enrolled as a participating provider in the Connecticut Medicaid Program in September 2018; from December 2018 to October 2020, Balkas was responsible for the submission of fraudulent claims to Medicaid for applied behavior analysis services that were purportedly provided to Medicaid clients.

According to the charges brought against her, Balkas submitted claims for dates of service when no applied behavior analysis services were provided to the Medicaid clients identified in the claims; she also inflated the number of hours for certain claims.

Between September and October 2020, Balkas submitted and was compensated for fraudulent Medicaid claims for the work of a board-certified behavior analyst who had no connection with her company.

The Connecticut Department of Social Services, which administers the Medicaid program in Connecticut, terminated Helping Hands Academy as a provider in August 2020; Balkas made several false statements and submitted an altered document to the department to rescind that termination.

According to the charges brought against her, Balkas”™ conduct cost Medicaid $551,311.85.

Balkas, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is scheduled for sentencing for July 21. She has also been ordered to make full restitution for her actions.