Iowa Woman Indicted For $700,000 Health Care Fraud

The owner of an Iowa counseling center has been indicted on charges that she defrauded the federal government and health insurance companies out of more than $700,000 by claiming reimbursement for services never performed.

Angela Ellison of Centerville made her initial court appearance in Des Moines on Thursday, pleading not guilty to a nine-count indictment charging her with health care fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering. She’s free pending a May 30 trial.

Prosecutors say the 45-year-old submitted false claims to Medicaid, WellMark, Aetna and United Health between 2007 and 2010. As part of her scheme, they say she used the provider numbers of several doctors without their authority to bill for services they didn’t deliver.

Ellison allegedly submitted the claims for patients of her firm, Cornerstone Counseling Center.