Ramsey Man Pleads Guilty To Health Care Fraud

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on October 31, 2013, William Dale Sidener, 31, of Ramsey, Illinois, pled guilty to a one-count indictment charging that he engaged in a scheme to commit health care fraud. Sentencing has been set for March 7, 2014, in United States District Court in East St. Louis, Illinois. Sidener will face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release.

During his plea hearing, Sidener admitted that he had submitted false and fraudulent bills in relation to his alleged performance of personal assistant services in the Home Services Program, a Medicaid Waiver Program designed to allow individuals to stay in their homes instead of entering a nursing home. Sidener admitted to falsely billing the program between November 2012 and February 2013, when he moved away from the person for whom he was supposed to be caring. As a result, Sidener improperly received $4,677.00 in payments for services not performed.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Illinois State Police’s Medicaid Fraud Control Bureau. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William E. Coonan.

If you suspect or know of an individual or company that is not complying with healthcare laws or public aid programs, you may report this activity to the local office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, or you may call 800.447.8477.