Collinsville office worker pleads guilty to defrauding Blue Cross

Allison Warren-Schlotter, 40, of Collinsville, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis, to a 13-count indictment charging her with health care fraud and acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud and deception.

The violations took place from July 25, 1995 to Oct. 21 2001, in Madison County, according to Ronald J. Tenpas, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois.

Warren-Schlotter worked as the office manager in a Collinsville physician’s office and admitted to scheming to defraud money from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. She would send Blue Cross Blue Shield false health care claims seeking reimbursement for medical care purportedly rendered by a physician and paid for by defendant, defendant’s husband and defendant’s mother.

All totaled, Warren-Schlotter sent a total of 36 false health care claims to Blue Cross Blues Shield seeking reimbursement in the amount of $27,779.50 which resulted in Blue Cross Blue Shield paying $12,628.37 pursuant to the false claims to defendant’s mother and husband.

Warren-Schlotter also admitted to taking 60 Tylenol 3/Codeine tablets, a controlled substance. She obtained the prescription on Oct. 8, 2001, from a pharmacy in Collinsville, and falsely represented that a doctor had authorized her to obtain the prescription.

For counts 1-12, penalties could be up to 10 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, or both, followed by up to three years supervised release.

She faces up to four years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine or both and three years supervised release on the controlled substance charge.

The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Simpkins.