BWC News

Ohio Travels Far and Wide to Fight Fraud

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation’s (BWC) “Operation Interstate” has conducted investigations in at least 11 states to find and prosecute workers’ compensation fraud. BWC reported investigations in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Montana, New York, Tennessee and Texas.

According to BWC, fraud investigators have discovered through computer cross matches that former Ohioans are receiving workers’ compensation benefits illegally while taking jobs in other states. Ohio BWC also cracked down on unscrupulous medical providers located in other states.

In the first arrest stemming from “Operation Interstate,” BWC charged the owner of Immediate Care Enterprises, Inc. of Lauderhill, Florida, with allegedly billing BWC $1.68 million for medical visits, tests and procedures that never occurred. The “patient” was injured on the job in Ohio and subsequently moved to Florida.