Accountant Who Filed 695 Phony Health Claims Arrested

NEW YORK, NY (09/23/2010)(readMedia)-- A Queens accountant who stole $115,000 by filing 695 phony health insurance claims was arrested Tuesday.

Diana Rabin, 29, of 73rd Road, was arrested after filing the bogus claims with Aetna and UnitedHealthcare Oxford over a six-month period ending in May.

The New York State Insurance Department reported that an investigation was begun after the insurers noticed and questioned patterns of repetitive claims and then contacted health care providers who said they hadn't treated Rabin.

Investigators from the Insurance Department's Frauds Bureau and the office of Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown are accusing Rabin of filing a handful of apparently legitimate claims and then forging health care providers' paperwork and other information to file the fraudulent claims.

Investigators said Rabin used the names of three out-of-network health care providers so she was paid for claims directly, instead of having claims paid to in-network providers. They said the total amount of money she was paid included $65,000 for care by a psychologist that never occurred. All but 54 of the claims were paid by Aetna.

Rabin was charged with grand larceny, insurance fraud and 695 counts each of forgery and possession of a forged instrument. She could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison if she is convicted.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Rosemary Bucceri.

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