Warwick social worker admits to defrauding multiple health insurers

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — United States Attorney Zachary Cunha said that a clinical social worker admitted to a federal judge that she helped in a scheme that shortchanged Rhode Island and Massachusetts substance abuse disorder patients out of counseling and treatment services while also defrauding Medicare, Medicaid, and other health insurers.

Mi Ok Song Bruining, of Warwick, admitted that while she was employed at Recovery Connections Centers of America, Inc., she and other workers “routinely submitted false and fraudulent claims for psychotherapy and counseling services that did not occur.”

The bills that were submitted said that patients were seen for 45 minutes, when they were only actually seen for around 10 minutes.

Cunha said that Bruining pled guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

She is scheduled to be sentenced in February 2024.