Originally Posted - June 29, 2006

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NASSAU COUNTY---An East Northport man has been charged with second degree grand larceny for fraudulently obtaining Medicaid payments for home repairs delivered to Medicaid recipients suffering from traumatic brain injuries and other disabilities.

Louis Gallo, 62, is the owner of New York Aide Society Inc. TBI, of Jericho, a Medicaid provider of Environmental Modification (EMOD) services in a program designed to provide home and community based services for disabled individuals and for those who have suffered severe brain injuries. As an EMOD provider, Gallo's was responsible for ascertaining the needs of injured or disabled Medicaid recipients and to then secure bids from three independent contractors to perform home construction alterations needed to permit the recipient to continue to live at home.

These modifications typically included projects such as constructing bathrooms, showers, driveways, grab bars, ramps, and installing chairlifts. The costs reflected in these bids are submitted to the Department of Health and, if the projects are approved, EMOD providers such as Gallo ensure that the construction is completed. They then bill Medicaid for the completed work, as well as an additional amount as compensation for their services as EMOD provider.

According to the complaint filed in Nassau County Court, from March 24, 2001, through March 22, 2004, Gallo submitted EMOD bids from companies he falsely represented were independent when, in fact, those companies either did not exist or were controlled and operated by Gallo. The address listed for one such corporation was Gallo's Suffolk County home, and another's phone number was actually Gallo's wife's cell phone number.

Additionally, it was charged that Gallo double-billed Medicaid for the same projects. In total, it is alleged that Gallo received in excess of $168,000 from Medicaid in fraudulent payments on 22 construction projects. 6-29-06

© 2006 North Country Gazette