BISMARCK — A Tennessee woman who ran a now-defunct mental health clinic in Minot is charged with felony Medicaid fraud in North Dakota, accused of improperly billing the state for more than $185,000 in services she allegedly didn’t provide.
Tera Campbell was charged with Medicaid fraud in excess of $50,000, which carries up to 20 years in prison. Charges were filed after a 2021 investigation regarding alleged improper billing practices at The Olive Branch (TOB), a former behavioral health facility in Minot, according to an affidavit.
Several of the claims reportedly listed Campbell as the service provider, and dates of services performed by Campbell coincided with dates she was known to be traveling abroad or in Colorado.
A former employee also alleged claims of billing for services not provided and by people unqualified to perform those services.
An audit of North Dakota Medicaid records and claims data from July 2021 to April 2022 revealed TOB submitting 73 claims on behalf of eight patients for services performed between February 2021 and February 2022, according to the affidavit. Information from the audit reportedly indicated TOB billed more than $421,000 and received payments totaling more than $225,000.
Campbell reportedly visited the Minot facility twice, when it opened and closed.
She also reportedly maintained a residence in northern Colorado that was close to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and the Francis E. Warren Air Force Base. Campbell reportedly owned another TOB facility, and clients receiving services at both the Cheyenne and Minot facilities were military personnel and their dependents. Minot is home to Minot Air Force Base.
During an August 2022 interview in Wyoming, Campbell allegedly told investigators she was aware of improper billing practices at both locations, saying that she did not self-report the errors. She also allegedly admitted telling employees to continue improper billing practices and that monies received through those practices would be repaid “if they were caught.”
A former employee at the Minot facility reportedly told a North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation agent in a January 2022 interview that she was responsible for collecting billing information sent to Campbell, who completed the process.
Other former employees reportedly told investigators that daily operations of the Minot facility resembled those of a day care rather than a clinic performing Applied Behavior Analysis therapy sessions.
Campbell is also charged separately in a 19-count indictment in Wyoming federal court. Allegations in that case accuse Campbell and her daughter, Taylor Ann Krauss, of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud and aggravated identity theft. Cumulative penalties in that case could see Campbell sentenced to 174 years in prison and fined more than $4.7 million. Krauss faces cumulative prison time of 134 years and fines in excess of $4.2 million.
The Cheyenne location reportedly opened in 2018 and is now closed.
Campbell and Krauss are free and subject to supervised release after pleading not guilty to all counts in the Wyoming case at a hearing held July 8. A trial is set for Sept. 15.
Campbell appeared remotely Tuesday at what was supposed to be an initial appearance in South Central District Court in Burleigh County, but that appearance is being rescheduled at a later date because a different attorney has to be assigned to the case to replace Marina Spahr. Spahr was appointed to a vacant judgeship position last week by Gov. Kelly Armstrong. She assumes her new duties effective Sept. 15.
Campbell is providing services as a licensed mental health counselor and board-certified behavior analyst in Tennessee and Florida.
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