The Vermont Attorney General’s office has settled with Green Mountain Support Services for $459,190 over claims that it defrauded Medicaid and neglected some of the individuals it was caring for, according to a press release from that office released on Friday.
The state-designated social services agency provides care to about 120 individuals with disabilities, according to board president Sarah Henshaw, and has offices in Morrisville, St. Johnsbury and Waterbury.
An investigation by the Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit of the state attorney general’s office found that GMSS charged Medicaid for services it didn’t provide beginning in 2018. For example, the office’s statement said that the provider charged Medicaid for 7 hours per week of services for a client that it provided “substantially less services to,” according to the press release.
The attorney general also alleged that GMSS had given lower quality care in several instances. In one case, someone responsible for care in a home setting left the country without the service provider’s knowledge, the attorney general’s office found. In another, the provider allegedly failed to help a client with their medication despite knowing that the client needed that help.
Green Mountain Support Services has gone through several shake-ups since the time period when the alleged violations took place.
In March of this year, it agreed to have Champlain Community Services, Inc., oversee its work after the state threatened to de-designate the agency. Henshaw said in an email that the service provider also made “sweeping” changes to its leadership and board.
With the help of Champlain Community Services, “GMSS undertook immediate action to remedy the issues that led to this settlement,” Henshaw wrote.
The state re-designated the service provider in September, citing improvements to communication, morale and service standards.
Under the terms of the settlement, the service provider has agreed to continue its relationship with Champlain Community Services and hire a director of quality. According to the press release, $75,000 of the settlement will be suspended if the service provider cooperates with the attorney general’s office.
