Press Release

June 25, 2004

DHS Employee Receives Award for Assistance in Fraud Investigation

Augusta: Department of Human Services announced today that one of its employees, Kelly Proctor, received the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Integrity Award for her outstanding investigative and logistical support in a criminal case. Proctor is a Comprehensive Health Planner with the Surveillance and Utilization Review Unit (SURS), which is responsible for investigating improper billing within the MaineCare program.

DHS Commissioner John R. Nicholas noted that Proctor’s receipt of this commendation is a tribute to her commitment and dedication, as well as that of her colleagues. “This award speaks directly to the quality of the staff who run MaineCare,” Commissioner Nicholas added. “I am delighted for Kelly, and I know that all of us in Maine have benefited from her work on this case.”

McGovern Ambulance Service and its owner, Dana E. McGovern, were sentenced on July 30, 2002 at the United States District Court in Bangor, Maine. The defendants pled guilty to twenty counts of Medicare and Medicaid fraud, sixteen counts of money laundering, two counts of obstructing a federal audit, and two counts of forfeiture. This case is the largest criminal health care fraud case to be prosecuted in the State of Maine.

Proctor contributed significantly to the success of this investigation by providing timely, reliable, and accurate logistical support. Notably, she initiated a review of McGovern Ambulance and Wheelchair Van Service after being contacted by Medicare.

According to the OIG, “Ms. Proctor’s attention to detail proved to be invaluable when she discovered that Dana McGovern had submitted two copies of the same ambulance run sheet to SURS in response to an administrative request. Ms. Proctor notified Medicare of her findings. This notification lead to the discovery of 93 altered ambulance run sheets that were submitted to Medicare and Medicaid. As a result, Dana McGovern and McGovern Ambulance Service pled guilty to two counts of obstruction of a federal audit.”

Proctor was quick to thank both the OIG and her co-workers at DHS. “It’s says a lot about an excellent working relationship we have with the OIG that they would consider me for this award,” Proctor said. “I feel very honored and I give credit to the outstanding supervisors that I have had at DHS and the opportunities they have given me to learn and advance in my career.”

Proctor received an Associates Degree in Business Administration from University of Maine at Augusta in 1990 and began working as a Clerk II immediately after graduation. During her fourteen years in state service, she has held a variety of positions and has been promoted consistently over that period of time.

Proctor, originally from Jay, is an avid outdoor enthusiast and enjoys camping and fishing in her spare time. She and her husband live in Sidney and are the parents of three children.