In an effort to punish but not hurt, Florida’s largest Medicaid provider will pay $80 million to the U.S. government to avoid criminal prosecution for health care fraud. WellCare Health Plans Inc. is charged with implementing an elaborate Medicaid fraud scheme which defrauded the Florida Medicaid program and Florida Healthy Kids Corporation out of $40 million.

The fear of prosecution ending in the collapse of the company, and thus harming Floridians, hundreds of employees and shareholders that depend on the company, prompted the large restitution before prosecution began.

“In charging WellCare we have sought to punish the company for its misconduct, but we have, at the same time, tried to avoid crushing it,” said U.S. Attorney A. Brian Albritton.

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