Insurance Worker Charged With Altering Health Claims

Burlington, N.C. — An Alamance County woman has been charged with stealing more than $40,000 after patients' health insurance claims were altered, authorities said Tuesday.

Yvonne Diane Wilson was charged with  98 counts of forgery, two counts of embezzlement and one count of identity theft.

United Health Group Inc., in Greensboro,, contacted the Alamance County Sheriff's Office last month to investigate a suspected embezzlement. Authorities determined a former United Health employee, who worked from her home in Alamance County, had altered patient benefits, causing 98 checks to be issued. The checks, which totaled $40,946, had been deposited into BB&T and Wachovia accounts, authorities said.

Identity information stolen from United Health was used to open bank accounts to deposit the checks, authorities said. More than $41,000 has been frozen in two bank accounts pending court action, they said.

Federal charges might also be filed in the case, according to the U.S. Postal Service Inspector's Office.