(C) Iowa Capital Dispatch
This story was originally published by Iowa Capital Dispatch and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .
Therapist surrenders license after sending out dozens of fraudulent bills [1]
['Clark Kauffman', 'More From Author', '- May']
Date: 2023-05-02
A therapist convicted of fraudulent billing has agreed to voluntarily surrender his license to practice in Iowa.
Court records indicate that In June of last year, the Washington Police Department was contacted about a therapist, JohnPaul Nganga of Iowa City, who was alleged to have submitted fraudulent bills for service through the Grace C. Mae Advocate Center in Washington. Police spoke to the director of the center who indicated Nganga, 43, was a therapist with the center and was credentialed to deliver telehealth therapy sessions.
The center had noticed some questionable billing practices involving Nganga, had questioned him, and Nganga had allegedly admitted to submitting false claims for payment.
The center was able to identify 63 fraudulently submitted claims for payment that were submitted between January 2022 and April 2022, for $4,814.
Nganga was charged with fraudulent practices in the second degree, a felony that carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, he agreed to plead guilty to the charge in return for a sentencing recommendation of five years’ probation; a $1,025 fine; $4,814 in restitution; forfeiture of his mental health counselor’s license for five years; and a deferred judgment that would wipe the conviction from his record after the successful completion of probation.
The sentence was imposed in January. In February, the Iowa Board of Behavioral Science ordered Nganga to surrender his license with the understanding he can apply for reinstatement in five years.
Other licensure board actions
Other Iowans who have recently faced professional licensing sanctions or hard their licenses reinstated include:
Mark Kimzey of Mount Pleasant – Kimzey was fined $500 by the Iowa Board of Mortuary Science, which had accused him of cremating a body with the authorization of only the decedent’s sister and brother in-law. Under Iowa law, the right to dictate the final disposition of a decedent’s remains belongs to a majority of the individual’s siblings in cases where there is no surviving spouse, parent or child. In the case at hand, the decedent had four surviving siblings.
Angela Perkins of Cedar Rapids – Perkins is the subject of an emergency order issued by the Iowa Board of Psychology, stating that she may only use her psychologist license and health service provider certificate to complete and send out neuropsychological evaluation reports for clients who have already completed testing. She is barred from initiating any new evaluations or providing any clinical services while the restrictions are in place.
She is charged with violating of a regulation, rule, or law related to the practice of psychology, and with knowingly making misleading, deceptive, untrue or fraudulent representations in the practice of psychology or engaging in unethical conduct or practice harmful or detrimental to the public. The specific, alleged conduct that gave rise to the charges is being kept confidential pursuant to a 2021 Iowa Supreme Court ruling that bars the public disclosure of such information until a licensing case is resolved. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Friday.
Matthew Cohara of Ankeny – The Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy recently reinstated Cohara’s license, free and clear of any restrictions. In 2018, the board placed Cohara’s license on probation, citing a criminal case in which he pleaded guilty to child endangerment, possession of marijuana and possession of cocaine.
Court records indicate the charges were filed when Cohara’s 7-month-old child died at home of positional asphyxia after becoming wedged between a bed and a wall. The infant also tested positive for cocaine metabolite.
In addition to the Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy’s licensing restrictions, the Iowa Board of Nursing had placed Cohara’s nursing license on probation for one year beginning in 2018. In 2019, the nursing board indicated Cohara had fulfilled all the terms of his probation.
Lorra Gire of Ottumwa – The Iowa Board of Social Work recently issued Gire a citation and warning for violating regulations that prohibit a social worker from engaging in a “dual relationship” with a client within five years of the end of the social worker-client relationship.
[END]
---
[1] Url:
https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/05/02/therapist-surrenders-license-after-sending-out-dozens-of-fraudulent-bills/
Published and (C) by Iowa Capital Dispatch
Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-ND-NC 4.0.
via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/iowacapitaldispatch/
