New Canaan Man Sentenced for Medicaid Fraud

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07/29/2024

New Canaan Man Sentenced for Medicaid Fraud

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Rocky Hill, CT) - A New Canaan man was sentenced today in Stamford Superior Court for defrauding Medicaid by submitting fraudulent claims for services he did not provide.

The Honorable Alex V. Hernandez sentenced Andrew R. Golden, age 56, to three years in prison, execution suspended, and five years of conditional discharge. The judge ordered the defendant to pay $80,328.19 in restitution and not to act as a Medicaid provider or provide services to any Medicaid recipient. The defendant has paid the restitution.

Golden pleaded nolo contendere and was convicted of Health Insurance Fraud, in violation of Connecticut General Statues § 53a-442. Health Insurance Fraud is a Class B felony. By being found guilty of a program-related felony, the defendant is also subject to mandatory exclusion as a Healthcare provider to certain federally funded health programs pursuant to federal and state laws and regulations. Medicaid is a government program that provides healthcare coverage to low-income, disabled and elderly individuals and is financed by both federal and state governments.

An investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in Office of the Chief State's Attorney determined that between January 2020 and July 2022, Golden, who was a licensed professional counselor and owner of his Stamford practice, billed for behavioral health counseling sessions that were not rendered. Evidence acquired during the investigation showed Golden was not meeting with clients as reported. However, he was submitting claims to the Department of Social Services (DSS) for payment. The investigation concluded that Golden fraudulently billed Medicaid and received an amount of $80,328.19 in Medicaid payments he was not entitled to. The submission of these claims to the Department of Social Services by Golden containing false, incomplete, deceptive or misleading information constitutes the crime of Health Insurance Fraud.

The case was prosecuted by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The Unit is grateful for the assistance it received in this investigation from the Connecticut Department of Social Services' Office of Quality Assurance, the United States Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Inspector General - Office of Investigations and the Stamford Police Department.

The Connecticut Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,988,308 for the fiscal year of October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $996,099 for the same fiscal year, is funded by the State of Connecticut.

Anyone with knowledge of suspected fraud or abuse in the public healthcare system is asked to contact the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit at the Office of the Chief State's Attorney at (860) 258-5986.

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