Niles couple charged with multiple counts of Medicaid fraud

A Niles couple has been charged with multiple counts of Medicaid fraud in connection with their counseling practice, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

Gregory Barney has been charged with 22 counts of Medicaid fraud -false claim and his wife, Jacquelyn Barney has been charged with 17 counts of Medicaid fraud -false claim.

Each charge is a four-year felony.

Gregory is a licensed marriage and family counselor and the owner of Highland Counseling Center, reports said.

Jacquelyn is the office manager, administrator and biller for the business, Nessel said.

Jacquelyn also worked as  biller for a separate local medical office. She allegedly obtained patient information from that practice and used that info to bill Medicaid for counseling sessions at Highland Counseling Center. Nessel said the clients were contacted and said they did not know Gregory and were not counseled by him.

“Billing Medicaid for services never provided takes valuable public resources away from those who need it,” Nessel said. “My Health Care Fraud Division will continue to investigate and pursue allegations of fraud in this critical program."

Jacquelyn and Gregory were arrested on September 28 and are scheduled to be arraigned on October 13.