Burlington Lab Submitted $400K In False Urine Sample Claims: DA

BOSTON, MA — Solid Diagnostics, Inc., a Burlington laboratory, and its owner have been indicted by a statewide grand jury after being accused of submitting $400,000 in false urine sample claims to the Massachusetts Medicaid health insurance program, Massachusetts Attorney General Joy Campbell announced Thursday.

Solid Diagnostics, an independent clinical laboratory which has 281 Cambridge St. listed as its address online, and its owner Rita Ausiejus, from Acton, were charged last month on two counts each of Medicaid false claims, Medicaid reverse false claims and larceny over $1,200, according to authorities.

Both Solid Diagnostics and Auiejus are set to be arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court on March 21, the district attorney's office said.

According to authorities, Solid and Ausiejus submitted claims to MassHealth for urine drug tests that were not appropriately ordered by doctors or other authorized prescribers.

Additionally, the district attorney's office said Solid and Ausiejus billed for urine drug tests for residential sobriety monitoring purposes. But, under state regulations, laboratories may not bill MassHealth for tests performed at sober homes for residential monitoring purposes because such tests are not medically necessary.

By allegedly fraudulently billing MassHealth for these tests, the defendants are alleged to have caused over $400,000 in false claims, the district attorney's office said.

The attorney general's office said the investigation and prosecution of the case is being handled by its Medicaid Fraud Division.