AG: Addiction center to pay over $600K for lying about MassHealth coverage

BOSTON — A North Andover addiction treatment center has to pay more than $600,000 for charging cash for opioid addiction treatment already covered by the state’s Medicaid Program, Massachusets Attorney General Maura Healey announced Thursday.

The Center for Psychiatric Medicine's owners, Joseph Campione and Thomas J. McLaughlin, charged its patients cash fees to receive Suboxone treatment from October 2010 to November 2015, according to the court. Suboxone is used for the treatment of opioid addiction by repressing withdrawals and cravings for opioids.

“This center stole from its own patients seeking treatment for opioid addiction and put up barriers that could have had fatal consequences,” said Healey.

Prosecutors allege the clinic told patients it did not accept MassHealth, although it was in fact a MassHealth provider. The clinic also told patients that they could avoid required weekly therapy sessions and monthly physician visits by paying cash.

The settlement forces CPM to return all of the wrongfully charged money to the patients, totaling $612,000.

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