STATE CHARGES NORWICH COUNSELOR WITH STEALING MEDICAID BENEFITS

A Norwich woman who operated a counseling business out of her home was charged Thursday with submitting $200,000 in fraudulent claims to Medicaid, more than half of which were for herself and family members.

Susan J. Britt, 47, of Nemczuk Drive was arrested by inspectors from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State's Attorney and was charged with two counts each of first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community, health insurance fraud, attempted first-degree larceny and first-degree identity theft.

According to the state, the Department of Social Services, which administers the Medicaid program, became suspicious in 2012 of bills submitted by An Inner Peace, Britt's home-based counseling business for patients with mental, behavioral and emotional disorders.

The investigation revealed that Britt was the highest paid professional counselor in Connecticut "by far" when compared to her peers, according to the state, and that despite her substantial earnings, she and three family members were enrolled in Medicaid, which provides health care coverage to low-income individuals.

Over a five-year period beginning in June 2013, Britt billed Medicaid for services that were either never rendered or billed at a higher reimbursement rate than allowed. In all, she submitted fraudulent claims involving 17 patients