DALLAS — A Dallas woman admitted to stealing a registered nurse’s identity and using it to work at several Dallas-Fort Worth area hospice companies, officials said.
Jada Necole Antoine, 33, plead guilty Tuesday to one count of fraud by identification and faces up to 15 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution.
She is scheduled to be sentenced in March.
According to documents filed in the case, Antoine, who was not licensed as a physician, registered nurse, or other health care provider, stole a registered nurse’s driver’s license and social security card, and used that identification to obtain work at eight different hospice companies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
These places include Heart to Heart Hospice of Texas, Odyssey Healthcare GP, LLC, Community Hospice of Texas, Elysian Hospice, Hospice Pharmacy Solutions, New Century Hospice, Keystone Custom Care Hospice, and Silverado Senior Living Hospice, officials said.
Antoine had direct responsibility for patient care.
Antoine’s false statements, theft of the victim’s identity, and other fraudulent activity caused Heart to Heart, Odyssey and other hospice agencies to submit false claims and obtain reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid for hospice services.
From January 2009 through April 20, 2012, officials said about $2.3 million in hospice claims were submitted to Medicare for services purportedly performed by Antoine while she was impersonating the victim registered nurse.
Antoine received compensation of $5,077 from Heart to Heart and $49,851 from Odyssey.