Attorney general sues Mount Vernon dentist

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster yesterday filed a civil lawsuit against a Mount Vernon dentist and his wife alleging false and fraudulent claims to Missouri's Medicaid program.

Koster claims that for nearly five years, Dr. Thomas Alms Jr. and Laura Alms, filed claims and billed Missouri Medicaid for dental procedures Thomas Alms was not licensed to perform by the Missouri Dental Board. Additionally, the couple allegedly billed Medicaid for services that were never provided, according to a news release from Koster's office.

“The Almses employed multiple schemes to defraud Missouri taxpayers by overbilling for Medicaid services or by billing for services never delivered at all,” Koster said in the release. “This kind of unlawful conduct takes medical resources that would otherwise be directed to truly needy Missourians.  

"Thanks to the outstanding work of our Medicaid Fraud Unit, we have filed this lawsuit and will ask the court to order the Alms to pay restitution, as well as civil penalties and punitive damages.”

Koster filed the suit in Cole County Circuit Court in Jefferson City.[[In-content Ad]]