TOLEDO, Ohio — A Toledo-based behavioral health provider, Empowered for Excellence, has been ordered to repay nearly **$1.87 million** to the state after an audit by the **Ohio Auditor of State’s Office** uncovered extensive issues with Medicaid billing and documentation.
According to the audit findings released this week, state officials determined that Empowered for Excellence billed Medicaid for services that either lacked sufficient documentation, were improperly coded, or did not meet necessary requirements for reimbursement. The overpayments reportedly occurred between fiscal years 2019 and 2021.
Auditors reviewed a sampling of claims submitted by the provider and found a significant portion to be either unsupported or improperly recorded. Based on that rate of error, they extrapolated the total amount owed, a standard practice in large-scale Medicaid audits.
Empowered for Excellence, which offers behavioral health and addiction recovery services, serves clients across northwest Ohio. The organization has not yet issued a formal response to the auditor’s report, but representatives have previously stated that the provider remains committed to compliance and transparency in its billing practices.
State officials emphasized that the findings do not necessarily imply fraudulent intent but do highlight ongoing concerns about oversight and documentation standards in the behavioral health sector. Ohio Medicaid officials said they are reviewing the audit results and will work with Empowered for Excellence to recover the identified funds.
The case adds to a series of recent scrutiny over Medicaid billing among behavioral health providers across Ohio, as state regulators push for tighter controls to prevent waste and ensure taxpayer accountability.