Home Health Care Company and Its Owners Pay More Than $360K to Settle False Claims Allegations

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William Tong, Connecticut Attorney General, today announced that HOME CARE VNA LLC and its current and former owners, SHAKIRA LUBEGA and CONSTANT OGUTT, have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments in which they will pay $361,520 to settle allegations that they were paid for home health care services that violated Medicaid regulations relating to plans of care.

Home Care VNA is a home health agency with offices located at 330 Main Street in Hartford.  Lubega is the current owner of Home Care VNA and Ogutt is a former, part owner.  Lubega and Ogutt are married.

The Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies expressly require, as a condition of payment for home health care services, that each patient has a plan of care, the plan of care is signed by a licensed practitioner, the plan of care is signed within 21 days after the episode of care begins, and a new or modified plan of care is reviewed, revised, and signed every 60 days. 

The United States and the State of Connecticut contend that Home Care VNA, Lubega, and Ogutt submitted or caused to be submitted claims for reimbursement to Connecticut Medicaid for home health care services for patients who had unsigned plans of care or had no plans of care at all.

To resolve the governments’ False Claims Act allegations, Home Care VNA, Lubega, and Ogutt have agreed to pay $361,520, which covers the time-period from August 1, 2018, through March 26, 2020.

This matter was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Molot and by Assistant Attorney General Joshua Jackson of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.

In 2022, Home Care VNA, Lubega, and Ogutt paid $630,000 to resolve Medicaid fraud allegations in Massachusetts.

People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.