LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) — A family practitioner based in Helena has turned himself in for Medicaid fraud. The arrest is related to the October arrests of Pearlie Bailey, 63, of Hollandale, Mississippi; Charline Brandon, 61, of Cleveland, Mississippi; Clotee Downs, 79, of Clarksdale, Mississippi and Debra Stewart, 59, of Helena in October of 2017.
Dr. Thomas Bailey, 52, of Lexa is charged with one count of Medicaid fraud, a Class B felony, one count of healthcare fraud, also a Class B felony and one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, a Class Y felony. He appeared in Pulaski County District Court and was released on $5,000 bond, according to the Arkansas Attorney General's Office.
The five are accused of fraudulently billing for services not rendered and for providing false information for the purpose of requesting payment from a health plan, totaling almost $290,000 from March 2011 to January 2017.
The case was referred to the Arkansas Attorney General’s office by the Mississippi Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and is part of an ongoing investigation with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector
Medicaid fraud occurs when providers use the Medicaid program to obtain money to which they are not entitled. To report Medicaid fraud or abuse or neglect in residential care facilities, contact the Attorney General’s Medicaid fraud hotline at (866) 810-0016 or email the office.
