SP therapist gets 3 years for health care fraud

A Severna Park woman was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison after billing the government and insurance companies for more than $400,000 in services she never delivered, federal prosecutors said.

A federal judge also ordered Virginia Vought Acree, a state-licensed clinical specialist in child and adolescent psychiatric and mental health nursing, to pay $390,000 in restitution.

"Too many greedy medical providers fleece the taxpayers by submitting false claims for services they have not provided," U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said in a release.

Acree, a former adviser to Omni House in Glen Burnie, the largest provider of mental health services in the county, pleaded guilty in July to health care fraud. According to the plea agreement, Acree, 49, of Linstead Road, admitted she filed hundreds of fraudulent insurance claims between January 2003 and November 2007 to obtain more than $200,000 from government and private health care benefit programs.

Prosecutors estimated the total fraud to be $578,000, but agreed to let U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles determine the final amount.

Prosecutors said Acree, who worked by herself to treat patients in their homes and at assisted-living facilities, billed for face-to-face psychotherapy sessions with patients in Glen Burnie and Severna Park while she was on vacation in other states and countries. To conceal the fraud, she used false information on medical forms and patient logs.

When Acree did meet with patients, she sometimes lied about how long she spent with them, prosecutors said. She also billed some patients for medical services they didn't need, they said.

It is unclear how Acree will pay back the $390,000.

According to state property records, she and Steven E. Sherk own a 2,000-square-foot home on a half-acre lot in Severna Park. They bought the property in 2004 and it is currently assessed at $749,480.

Acree's nursing license yesterday was in good standing. According to the Maryland Board of Nursing, no disciplinary actions have been taken against her and her license doesn't expire until Jan. 28, 2009.

Patricia A. Noble, executive director of the state board, could not be reached for comment.

Mr. Rosenstein said his office is cracking down on white-collar crime and health care fraud. He said Acree's arrest and conviction area a part of a "series."