Provider pleads guilty to Medicaid fraud

A physician's assistant employed by a psychiatrist in Huntingdon, entered a guilty plea to fraud and was ordered to pay over $40,000 in restitution over a four-year period of probation.

Jennifer Batrus, 50, of Altoona, entered a guilty plea to one court of felony 3 Medicaid fraud during a court appearance Sept. 28.

Batrus, who was investigated by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, was formerly employed by Dr. Muhammad Qamar at Qamar's offices in Huntingdon and State College. When charges were filed, she was accused of five felony offenses for allegedly collecting insurance payments for patients she did not treat.

Deputy Attorney General Susann Morrison said the Commonwealth is agreeable to terminating Batrus's probation after 36 months if, by that time, she had made full restitution in the amount of $40,147.30 and has met all other conditions, including performing 30 hours of community service.

Huntingdon County Judge George Zanic accepted Batrus's plea offer and sentenced her as recommended by the attorney general's office. He also imposed a $1,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint Batrus saw patients at American Family Psychiatry at 905 Washington St. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Batrus worked remotely and treated patients over the phone and provided information to office staff about which patients she had treated, the complaint states.

Staff told investigators they started receiving reports from patients that they weren't receiving treatment, despite Batrus's reports.

During an interview with investigators Dec. 8., 2020, Batrus said she would call or text her patients, often using her personal cell phone. The defendant told investigators she filled out Medicaid documents indicating she had seen patients when she had not.

Batrus told investigators that she was trying to "pay the bills" after husband's diner in Altoona shut down during the pandemic.

A Medicaid fraud specialist reviewed the case and reported that, out of 637 office visit claims, cell phone records show the defendant neither called nor texted those patients for 517 of those claims, but still issued prescriptions. On 113 occasions, Batrus only communicated with patients via text and still billed Medicaid for an office visit.