Feds link orthodontist to Medicaid fraud scheme

By BOBBY CERVANTES amarillo.com Copyright 2012 Amarillo Globe-News. All rights reserved.

February 29, 2012 - 12:18am

Feds link orthodontist to Medicaid fraud scheme

bobby.cervantes@amarillo.com

Patients and former employees likened the Amarillo Medicaid fraud scheme to “herding cattle.”

Amarillo orthodontist Dr. Michael Goodwin scheduled up to 400 Medicaid patients a day and frequently billed the government for work he never performed, according to court records.

In late May and early July, authorities seized $244,235.67 from five JP Morgan Chase commercial and personal bank accounts associated with Goodwin, his wife and his business.

Goodwin billed the government a total of $1.67 million in fraudulent claims from April 2008 to April 2011, according to a federal forfeiture complaint the government filed Monday seeking to keep the seized money.

Goodwin, who also has an office in Indiana, has not been charged with a crime. His Amarillo office at 3629 Wolfin Ave. was closed Tuesday and messages were not immediately returned.

Goodwin and his wife, Patricia, did not file a claim to the seized money, according to the complaint.

Orthodontic treatment increased nearly 50%. Why? Marketing?

From the Wall Street Journal- November 16, 2010
by  Nancy Keates at nancy.keates@wsj.com

The number of children 17 and younger getting orthodontic treatment has grown 46% over the past decade to 3.8 million in 2008,... figure available from the American Association of Orthodontists

The association doesn't break the number down further by age, but Lee W. Graber, the Association's president, estimates that in his own practice 15% to 20% of the 7- to 10-year-olds he sees get treatment.

"Fifteen years ago we rarely saw kids until they were teenagers," Dr. Graber says...

In the U.S., the shift to earlier treatment dates back to around 1990, the year the orthodontists association began encouraging the screening of 7-year-olds, with magazine ads and videos aimed at parents. Better diagnostic technology also has led to more early treatment. Increased insurance coverage has played a role, too...

[ Basically saying a market was created to rake in the dough?  Shocking! 
Question: Who created the market?  Answer: The American Association of Orthodontists. 
Question: Who convinced insurance companies to increase their coverage?  Answer: The AAO?  Question: How did they convince insurance companies to start picking up more of the tab? Answer: False or misleading information, junk science? 
Same questions to go out to Medicaid. ]