ARKANSAS, USA — The medical license of a former Rogers doctor accused of Medicaid fraud and named in over 100 lawsuits has expired, according to the Arkansas State Medical Board's records.
Dr. Brian Hyatt's license was issued on Oct. 7, 2005, and expired on Sept. 30, 2024 — almost a year after he was arrested.
The psychiatrist and former member of the Arkansas State Medical Board was arrested on two counts of large-scale Medicaid fraud during his time as the director of Northwest Medical's Behavioral Health in Springdale.
On Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, the arrest warrant for Hyatt was formally issued — over eight months after the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General sent a letter to Hyatt citing credible allegations of Medicaid fraud and suspending his Medicaid services.
An investigator with the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) said that a confidential informant reported Hyatt during his time at the behavioral unit in Springdale. The confidential informant said there was "significant growth in the unit and likewise in the claims and billings submitted to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance" since Hyatt started as the unit's director.
The informant said Hyatt was only ever on their floor for a few minutes each day and he had no contact with patients.
There were also reports of Hyatt directing staff to mark out his name on the wristbands of patients. "The CI said Dr. Hyatt did not want the patients to know his name," the MFCU's investigator said.
Hyatt ultimately pleaded not guilty to the two charges of Medicaid fraud on Oct. 19, 2023.
On top of the criminal charges, over 140 clients represented by Odom Law Firm allege Dr. Brian Hyatt unlawfully coerced, abused, and held patients against their will within the Behavioral Unit to receive more money from Medicare between 2018 and 2022.
His trial date for the two criminal charges is set for April 9, 2025.
Watch 5NEWS on YouTube.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to.