Penn. Counselor Allegedly Billed Insurance $600K for Fake Office Visits

Pennsylvania’s attorney general says a western Pennsylvania family counselor billed an insurance company more than $600,000 for sessions that never occurred.

Investigators announced insurance fraud and theft charges on Dec. 9 against 33-year-old Lisa Wally, a McKeesport woman who practiced in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.

Investigators say Wally billed Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield for more than 9,700 office visits by 22 patients from January 2011 through early this year. In reality, investigators say Wally conducted fewer than 2,000 counseling sessions and was paid more than $601,000 for services she never provided.

One patient told investigators she visited Wally’s office once, while Wally’s billing statements showed she counseled that patient about 400 times.

Wally’s defense attorney didn’t immediately return a call for comment. The phone at Wally’s office said the number was out of service.