04.26.12 State officials are working to "weed out" the bad community-based service providers who have fraudulently received Medicaid money for hours not worked by caregivers.

The Legislative Auditor's Office has released a report showing that a focused investigation of 25 direct-care workers found up to $254,393 could have been fraudulently claimed by these workers alone.

Last year, a broader performance audit indicated 1,563 workers claimed or received anywhere from $700,000 to $1.3 million in Medicaid payments for hours that they may not have worked in the 2010 calendar year.

DHH officials are now working to review workers' credentials and will be confirming hours worked before workers are paid, said Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Undersecretary Jerry Phillips.