MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Over $1 million in improper Medicaid payments were found during an audit of an area mental health service provider.
State auditors identified nearly $1.3 million in improper Medicaid payments that were sent to CRN Healthcare Inc., a Montgomery County mental health and addiction services provider that received public funding.
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The Auditor of State’s Office is recommending repayment of $1,427,776.38 from CRN as part of the compliance audit that covered activities from July 2019 through June 2021. The amount includes added interest, according to Auditor of State Keith Faber.
CRN is a certified provider with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. It received $8.9 million in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 in managed care and fee-service payments.
During their audit, state auditors found multiple instances in which:
- The names of practitioners were not listed in the documentation, and their eligibility to render services could not be verified.
- No documentation was available to support 44 percent of the tested payments.
- Details, including the time of day, duration, or description of services, were not included in the required documentation.
- There were no treatment plans authorizing services that were provided.
- Claims exceeded billing limitations.
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CRN officials said in its response that it “indicated it has purchased a new electronic medical records system that it believes will eliminate the vast majority of non-compliance.”
In March 2023, CRN closed all of its offices “due to financial struggles.” They said another agency had “assumed the provision of services to its clients.”
At the close of the state’s audit, the company maintained one office in Centerville. It was there that owners remained as the sole practitioner providing services to three middle schools.
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