Twin Falls County woman sentenced forprovider fraud

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) – Attorney General Lawrence Wasden has announced a Twin Falls County woman was sentenced Nov. 21 for public assistance provider fraud.

29-year-old Mariah C. Ross, of Twin Falls, pleaded guilty in August.

Fifth District Judge Roger Harris sentenced Ross to a prison term of four years. The court then suspended the sentence and ordered three years probation. Judge Harris also ordered Ross to pay court costs, a $1,000 fine and $1,700 in restitution. Ross was also sentenced to 30 days in jail, to be used at the discretion of a probation officer.

Ross was an employee at Brightstar Care in Twin Falls. She was assigned to provide in-home care services to a Medicaid participant. In April 2019, the participant contacted Brightstar to report that Ross was working at his home. An investigation revealed that Ross was also employed at another care agency while submitting timesheets to Brightstar Care. As a result, approximately 22 false claims were submitted and paid by the Idaho Medicaid Program.

Deputy Attorney General Jessica Cafferty in the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit prosecuted the case. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated.