Waterford -- Leonard C. Boyle, acting United States attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced Monday that a local home health care company and its owner have agreed to pay $28,246 to resolve civil charges that they employed a physical therapist who was excluded from all federal health care programs.

The company, Careco Medical Inc., located at 396 Willetts Ave., and its owner and CEO, Helga Pfanner, provide skilled nursing services, medical social worker services, and rehabilitative therapies.

In a release announcing the agreement, Boyle explained that when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General excludes an individual or entity from federal health care programs, no program payments may be made for items or services provided by the excluded individual or entity.

The release stated that in 2012, Todd Roberts, an Old Saybrook physical therapist, pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing a federal audit and, pursuant to a related civil settlement agreement, agreed to pay $328,828. In addition, Roberts entered into a six-year Integrity Agreement with  HHS designed to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Medicare program. Roberts later defaulted on his obligations under the Integrity Agreement and was excluded from all federal health care programs in 2015.

In November 2018, CareCo and Pfanner hired Roberts for a management position at CareCo. Roberts served in that position until March 2019.

The U.S Attorney's office said that people who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS or the Health Care Fraud Task Force at (203) 777-6311.