GBI, FBI investigating Archbold

Alan Mauldin

April 11, 2008 10:34 pm

— THOMASVILLE — Federal and state investigators have opened a criminal probe involving Archbold Memorial Hospital, which announced in February that a former executive falsified documents in an effort to claim additional taxpayer funds.
The FBI and Georgia Bureau of Investigation have an open joint investigation, Carter Brank, GBI special agent in charge at the Georgia State Health Care Fraud Control Unit, said Friday. The unit is operated by the bureau, Attorney General’s office and Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts.
Archbold announced said in a Feb. 15 news release that William Sellers, the hospital’s former chief financial officer, “prepared and submitted inaccurate documentation to the Georgia Department of Community Health” and “submitted to the state a set of minutes of non-existent meetings and discussions of the authority.”
The allegedly inaccurate documentation and minutes of non-existent authority meetings were submitted in an effort to show that the hospital “was entitled to certain supplemental Medicaid funds,” the release said.
Sellers, who had been suspended since mid-November, resigned the same day that the medical center announced those findings from an internal investigation.
Sellers’ attorney did not respond Friday to an e-mail seeking comment.
When asked about Sellers, Brank said his name did not come up in a computer search for documents. Although Brank is not working the case, he said that it does involve Archbold.
“I know we do have an investigation involving something or somebody at Archbold,” he said. “The FBI is involved in that, also.”
The Department of Community Health confirmed in February that it was conducting an investigation involving Archbold. On Friday, a reporter who contacted the agency was told to contact the fraud unit for additional information about the investigation.
“DCH is required to refer any incident of potential fraud or abuse in the Medicaid program to the State Health Care Fraud Control Unit for their review and resolution,” Lisa Marie Shekell, the agency’s communications director, said in an e-mail.
Archbold said Friday that it is working with the agencies.
“From the beginning of this process, when we initially disclosed to the government possible issues with reported information, we have cooperated fully with all government entities and agencies,” Archbold said in an e-mail response.
Documents provided to the Times-Enterprise by the agency earlier this year showed that in 2004 and 2005 documents were sent to the agency claiming that the hospital was publicly owned and operated by the Hospital Authority of the City of Thomasville. Archbold is privately owned not-for-profit corporation.
In 2004, the same claims were made in relation to the nursing home, the records show.
Attestations of public status were sent on behalf of the hospital in June and December 2004, and on behalf of the nursing home in June 2004. Letterheads used with the attestations included the hospital authority, the hospital and Archbold Medical Center, parent company of the hospital and nursing home.
In the attestations submitted to the state in 2004 and 2005, the claim was made that the hospital authority exercised operational control of the hospital.
The hospital received $773,939 in Medicaid upper payment limit adjustments that covered six months in 2003, $3.07 million in 2004, $3.03 in 2005, $2.46 million in 2006 and $1.2 million for 2007, documents obtained under the open records request said.
Glen-Mor Nursing Home received $663,009 for six months of fiscal year 2003, $1.01 million in 2004, $715,647 in 2005 and no money for 2006.

Reporter Alan Mauldin can be reached by calling (229) 226-2400, ext. 226.