Brian Hyatt trial date delayed in Medicaid fraud case
Related Video: First hearing held for Dr. Brian Hyatt's civil lawsuit in August 2024.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A request to delay Dr. Brian Hyatt's Medicaid fraud trial in Pulaski County has been approved.
This marks the second delay in Hyatt's trial, which was originally set for Sept. 17, 2024. The omnibus hearing is now scheduled for Sept. 12, with the jury trial on Oct. 20.
Hyatt, 52, the former director of Northwest Medical Center's Behavioral Health unit and a former Arkansas State Medical Board member, faces two counts of violating the Medicaid Fraud Act.
He was arrested in October 2023 and has pleaded not guilty.
An affidavit filed in Pulaski County states that on April 1, 2022, the Arkansas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit received a complaint from a confidential informant who worked at the Behavioral Health Unit in Springdale.
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Hyatt, who served as director of the unit from February 2018 to May 2022, was accused of being present for only brief periods during scheduled workdays and having little to no contact with patients.
Court records initially scheduled an omnibus hearing for March 14, with the trial set for April 9-18.
However, Hyatt's attorney filed a motion on Feb. 21 requesting a postponement, citing the complexity of the case and ongoing related matters. The filing noted that both legal teams agreed a delay was appropriate.
Beyond his criminal case, Hyatt faces more than 200 civil lawsuits from former patients who claim they were falsely imprisoned under his care.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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