Massachusetts Behavioral Health Provider and Psychiatrist Alexandra Accardi Pays $1.4 Million to Settle Health Care Fraud Charges

May 21, 2026

Federal prosecutors say Massachusetts behavioral health providers Nova Psychiatric Services and Patriot Eldercare — collectively operating as Prime Behavioral Health — along with psychiatrist Dr. Alexandra Accardi have agreed to pay $1.4 million to settle allegations they improperly billed Medicare, Medicaid, and the state’s Group Insurance Commission for services patients never actually received.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, prosecutors alleged that from 2017 through 2023, company leadership allowed claims to be altered before submission so insurers were billed for extra psychotherapy and medication-management services that clinicians did not perform. The DOJ said employees repeatedly raised concerns about the billing practices, but the companies and leadership allegedly failed to stop them.

The settlement follows a related criminal case against former Nova COO Miguel Saravia, who pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud charges tied to the billing scheme and was sentenced in 2025 to prison, supervised release, and restitution. Federal officials said the case began under whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow insiders to report alleged healthcare fraud involving taxpayer-funded programs.

(Source: news release of US Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts, May 18, 2026)