PHILADELPHIA -- A former chiropractor has been linked to fraudulent injury claims submitted after two staged bus crashes here.

Dr. Eileen Means, 60, of Churchville, Pa., former owner and operator of Frankford Therapy in Philadelphia, is accused of fraudulently billing two insurance companies for more than $27,000 for treatments to patients who claimed to have been injured in staged bus accidents, Pennsylvania prosecutors said.

Her involvement came to the attention of investigators, who learned that one of the people involved in one of the accidents told them he knew in advance it would happen.

Means allegedly submitted claims to Lancer Insurance Co. and Rutgers

Insurance Co. for 53 days to 60 days worth of treatments she claimed to have provided to five patients from the two bus accidents. The bills totaled more than $27,000 and Lancer paid more than $13,000 and Rutgers paid nearly $7,000. Agents said that none of the five patients were treated more than 20 days.

Additionally, Means' bills and treatment notes were reviewed by an expert in the detection of fraud in chiropractic billing, who concluded that the course of treatment claimed in Means' bills, even if it was performed, would have served no legitimate therapeutic purpose and simply would have served to run up a large bill, according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett.

"Dr. Means scam was just another part of the elaborate attempt to scam the bus companies, Lancer and Rutgers," said Corbett. "The treatments she billed for were not done and, even if they had been done, they would have served no purpose other than to defraud the insurers."

Means is charged with 15 counts of insurance fraud, five counts of criminal attempt theft by deception, five counts of theft by deception and one count of corrupt organizations.

On Aug. 31, 2003, a chartered bus, headed from Philadelphia to Atlantic City and operated by Starr Transit Co., was struck by a car within minutes after it departed from the Germantown section of Philadelphia.

The accident resulted in only minor cosmetic damage to the bus, but Lancer Insurance Co. and Rutgers Insurance Co. received 14 claims from individuals claiming to have suffered "soft tissue" injuries.

As a result of an ongoing investigation, agents learned the Starr collision was staged and nine people were charged in connection with submitting fraudulent insurance claims.

On April 18, 2004, a Wertz Motor Coaches charter, also headed from Philadelphia to Atlantic City, was struck by a car within minutes after it departed from Germantown.

Although the bus also suffered only minor cosmetic damage, Lancer received 29 claims from persons claiming to have suffered "soft tissue" injuries.

According to charges filed in September 2007, the Wertz collision was also staged and there were actually only 21 people on the bus; 12 people were charged with submitting fraudulent insurance claims in connection with that collision. (See Sept. 15, 2007 issue of Bus & Motorcoach News.)

Investigators learned that one person reported he knew in advance about the 2003 Starr Transit collision because he had been told about it by Means. Additionally, the 14 people who claimed to have been injured were allegedly treated by one of three chiropractors, including Dr. Means and a relative of hers, prosecutors said.

As part of the ongoing investigation into the bus accidents, agents learned that 14 claimants from the 2004 Wertz collision allegedly sought treatment from either Means or her relative.

Additionally, agents found that Scott Means, the chiropractors husband at the time, sold tickets for the 2004 Atlantic City trip and assisted in chartering the bus, prosecutors said.