HARRISBURG – A Washington County woman was arrested following allegations that she altered paperwork making it appear as though she had a cancer diagnosis in order to obtain nearly $100,000 in insurance benefits.
Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendant as Deborah Brown, 50, 229 Dicio St., Canonsburg, Washington County.
According to the criminal complaint, in 2003 Brown obtained a cancer insurance policy through AFLAC, which paid benefits directly to her if diagnosed with any type of internal cancer. This money is based upon the costs of treatments or procedures and is paid regardless of other insurance pays for the services, including; hospital stays, radiation, chemotherapy treatments, surgery, and blood transfusions.
Corbett said that between August 2006 and May 2008 Brown allegedly submitted fraudulent/altered documentation and billings to AFLAC for cancer treatments, such as blood transfusions and chemotherapy treatments allegedly administered to her husband.
According to the criminal complaint, Brown’s husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006, but had surgery that November and therefore did not need or receive any additional treatments.
Corbett said that in April 2007 Brown was diagnosed with lipoma, a non-cancerous fatty tissue.
The charges state that Brown altered her paperwork from St. Clair Hospital to show a diagnosis of cancer, liposarcoma. Brown allegedly submitted altered documentation and billings between April 2007 and May 2008 for treatments, such as chemotherapy, which she never received.
Agents estimate that AFLAC paid Brown nearly $100,000 for cancer treatments that she and her husband never received.
Brown is charged with two counts of insurance fraud, two counts of theft by deception and one count of tampering with records.
She was preliminarily arraigned before Canonsburg Magisterial District Judge Jay Weller and released on $25,000 unsecured bail.
The case will be prosecuted in Washington County by Senior Deputy Attorney General Dennis Kistler of the Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Section.
