Sioux City mental health counselor pleads not guilty to fraud, theft

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — A Sioux City mental health counselor accused of putting false medical codes on patients' bills has pleaded not guilty to 15 counts.

Amy Hecht submitted her written arraignment on Thursday, Sept. 19. She waived her right to a speedy trial, and a date has not yet been set.

Hecht has been charged with twelve counts of fraudulent submission, a class D felony; one count of second-degree theft, a class D felony, one count of third-degree fraudulent practice, an aggravated misdemeanor; and tampering with records, an aggravated misdemeanor.

According to court documents, as a licensed mental health counselor and owner of Foundation Mental Health Center in Sioux City, Hecht allegedly provided false medical codes on patients' bills to provide her additional reimbursements that she was not entitled to.

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Officials say that a specific billing code was used fraudulently 218 times between 13 patients, resulting in Hecht receiving $5,372.50 from the insurance agency Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Investigators also found 261 false entries into patient's medical records between Aug. 10, 2021 and Nov. 8, 2023. This resulted in $1,062.12 being paid to Hecht through Medicaid.

When confronted, Hecht allegedly admitted that they were not far off in their belief that they would find more records of her adding the code to patient billings and documentation.

Hecht was released on bond on the same day of her arrest.

Tosin Ehikioya contributed to this report.