Nutritional counselor charged with overbilling Blue Cross [The Herald-Sun, Durham, N.C.]

May 29--HILLSBOROUGH --

State Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin alleged on Friday that Department of Insurance criminal investigators determined that Felicia Louis Rocchi, 52, of 406 N. English Hill Lane, billed for counseling time that did not occur.

Rocchi is charged with three counts of obtaining property by false pretense.

According to arrest warrants, Rocchi presented falsified claims to Blue Cross totaling $129,448.20 for nutritional visits where she claimed to have counseled patients for a total of 7,337 units, when the correct totals were only for 931 total units valued at $13,221.40. A unit represents 15 minutes of counseling time with a patient.

Rocchi was processed at the Chapel Hill Police Department and released under a $10,000 unsecured bond.

When contacted Friday afternoon, Rocchi said it was not a convenient time for her to discuss the charges against her. She then had her attorney respond.

"Her feeling is that she worked as a contract worker for four years and no one ever questioned what she was doing," said lawyer Bill Massengale of Chapel Hill. "No one ever questioned the accounting.

"And then when they did question it, they offered her a civil settlement just to pay it off, then very quickly called in a criminal unit. So it's one of those cases where the civil becomes criminal before it can be worked out," Massengale said.

"We're just waiting to see what we can do," he said. Rocchi's next court appearance is scheduled for July.

The Department of Insurance employs 20 sworn law enforcement officers dedicated to investigating claims of insurance fraud. In 2009, these criminal investigators saw more than 413 cases successfully closed with more than $10.5 million in restitution and recoveries, 89 criminal convictions and 175 arrests.

An estimated 10 cents of every dollar paid in premiums goes toward the payment of fraudulent claims. To report suspected fraud, contact the Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at (919) 807-6840. Callers may remain anonymous. Information is also available at www.ncdoi.com.

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