Keli House Community Services Inc. will reimburse the Medicaid program more than $300,000 for using unqualified staff to provide services to its developmentally disabled Medicaid recipients, New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced on Wednesday.
The Fishkill-based nonprofit’s services include service coordination, which assesses the needs of Medicaid recipients with developmental disabilities and connects them to programs designed to prevent their institutionalization. Those providing services to individuals under the program are required by law to meet certain educational and experience requirements. During a three and a half year period ending in November 2009, nine Keli House staff members with either no experience or with degrees in unrelated fields provided service coordination, Schneiderman’s office said.
“Service providers that employ inexperienced staff deprive New Yorkers of the expertise needed to navigate and maximize all opportunities,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “We will crack down on anyone who shortchanges not only the most vulnerable members of our community but also our Medicaid program.”
Keli House will reimburse the Medicaid program $363,643, which was the amount paid to the nonprofit for services provided by unqualified employees.
