An Eldorado woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges that she engaged in a scheme to steal from a federal health care program. 45-year-old Betsy J. Gutowski faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250-thousand fine.

During her plea hearing, Gutowski admitted submitting false and fraudulent bills for personal assistant services in the Home Services Program, a Medicaid waiver program designed to allow individuals to stay in their homes instead of entering a nursing home. Gutowski admitted she falsely billed the program between December 1, 2011 and October 15, 2012 when she purportedly rendered assistant services to a customer who was in a hospital or nursing home at the time. Gutowski obtained over $4,000 for services not performed.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and the Illinois State Police – Medicaid Fraud Control Bureau.