On Thursday, November 8, 2012, a Cobb County Grand Jury charged Erika Robinson with one felony count of Medicaid Fraud (O.G.G.A. § 49-4-146.1(b)) for stealing over $430,000.00 from Georgia Medicaid. Robinson is the owner and operator of Speech Therepeze, Inc., doing business as Progressive Therapy, in DeKalb County and a branch operating in Cobb County.

Between January 4, 2010 and January 23, 2012, Robinson was enrolled as a provider of services in the Georgia Medicaid Program’s Children’s Intervention Services. The Program rules and regulations require that treating therapists must be licensed with the State of Georgia, and the provider can only bill for services rendered. The charge alleges that Robinson employed unlicensed therapists to treat patients of Speech Therepeze. None of these services are reimbursable by Medicaid. Robinson is also charged with fraudulently billing for providing services to patients on days that the patients were not treated. As a result of her fraudulent claims, Robinson received payments from Georgia Medicaid totaling $438,622.03 to which she was not entitled.

Assistant Attorney General Robin Daitch presented the case to the Cobb County Grand Jury in Cobb County Superior Court. The case was investigated by Investigator Gretchen Culberson, Investigative Auditor Denise Colson, Nurse Investigator Darlene Herndon and Chief Analyst Carmen Staley of the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

Members of the public should keep in mind that indictments contain only allegations against the individual(s) against whom the indictment is sought. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and it will be the government’s burden at trial to prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the allegations contained in the indictment.