Pennsylvania’s attorney general has charged the owner of a home care agency in Erie with neglecting residents, falsifying paperwork, scamming Medicaid, and staffing issues.
On Thursday, Attorney General Michelle Henry announced 12 counts of felony charges against Tina Bell, 56, of Bucks County, who owns and operates Superior Health, Inc.
Bell faces accusations of misappropriating more than $1 million in Medicaid funding for unfulfilled work and neglecting to provide adequate care to two patients classified as endangered and care-dependent.
Additionally, Henry claims that Bell falsified state audit documentation to continue her plan.
Henry claimed that her office’s investigation into Bell and Superior Health discovered she did not provide adequate personnel and even instructed at least one unlicensed worker to conduct activities meant for certified nurses.
“The defendant allegedly put patients at risk while providing subpar care and services, and defrauded a system designed to help the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians,” Attorney General Henry said. “My office takes a hard stance against individuals and businesses that break the law to prioritize personal profits over people.”
Bell has been charged with the following felonies: three counts of tampering with public records, two counts of a care-dependent person, theft by deception, receiving stolen property, filing a false Medicaid claim, and one count each of submitting a claim for service not provided, improper service, and false information.
The court arraigned her and later released her on $100,000 unsecured bail. We have scheduled her next court appearance for January 31.