Medicaid Fraud Penalties Are Unbalanced (that was the nicest word I could use)

Here is the perfect example of how the 1% stay there, and the %99 stay put as well.  Being the 1% has a whole lot of perks!

Quanah, Texas Dentist Sentenced
KAUZ-TV: NewsChannel 6 Now | Wichita Falls, TX

Posted: Mar 28, 2012 8:58 PM CDT

A Quanah dentist pleaded guilty Wednesday, March 28, to Medicaid Fraud. Dr.

Jay Parmer was sentenced to 10 years probation. He was ordered to pay a fine of $5,000 to Hardeman County, and ordered to make restitution in an amount of $158,000 to the State of Texas Medicaid program.

Law enforcement launched an investigation into Dr. Parmer billing practices in 2009. At the time, Parmer filed a complaint against his former office manager for theft.

During that investigation, she told police Parmer fraudulently billed for work he had not actually completed. On July 20, 2010, Parmer's former office manager pleaded guilty to the thefts.

The Texas Department of Public Safety executed a search warrant in August 2009 on Parmer's office in Quanah. DPS seized patient records and computers used for billing purposes.

Parmer operated offices in Quanah and Vernon, Texas.

Just two days prior, Dr. Richard Malouf who has “allegedly” stole hundreds of millions paid the government $1.2 million dollars to leave him alone.

Dentist settles fraud case, pays $1.2 million, takes CIA

In case you're wondering why OIG just entered a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the All Smiles Dental Center in Texas, here's a recap of the Medicaid fraud case:

All Smiles was a success story, and its founder Richard Malouf was rich; his $10 million French-style chateau put him on D magazine's "100 Most Expensive Homes in Dallas" list. Life was good -- you can watch a video of Malouf backup-dancing for a Michael Jackson impersonator at the All Smiles Christmas party here.

But the feds claimed Malouf got rich in part through Medicaid fraud. The Texas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) and the FBI pursued charges that Malouf "caused 'unbundled' and other improper claims to be submitted to the Texas Medicaid program for orthodontic-related items and services between 2004 and 2007."

Back in 2010, Malouf repaid $46,000 in claims to Texas Medicaid and agreed to an 18-month Medicaid claims moratorium.

Last week, Malouf settled the legal case. He admits no wrongdoing but will pay a whopping $1.2 million settlement fee to Texas and the U.S.

The CIA requires All Smiles to put in a Compliance Officer and do training, special claims reviews, etc.

But Malouf won't have to worry about any of that: He sold the company last year. And we suspect he's still pretty rich.

Maybe complaining to the Dental Association and not the Dental Board is the best way to go–however the media seems to get more results

 

Call Kurtis: Did Your Dentist Make a Mistake? Here’s What You Can Do « CBS Sacramento

A Sacramento viewer says his dentist messed up on his root canal and doesn’t think he should have to pay for the mistake. When he couldn’t get it fixed, he decided it was time to call Kurtis.

It’s been nearly two years of pain and dental bleeding for Thomas Coker of Sacramento, he said.

“This is my mouth, and I have to get it fixed,” he said.

His dentist, Dr. Tam Hgoc Nguyen of Roseville’s Healthy Image Dental, made a mistake ruining his tooth during a root canal, he said.

“I have a problem kissing my wife. I’m scared to death that — I’m trying not to get emotional,” Coker said, collecting his thoughts. “I’m scared to death that she might smell some blood on my breath or something.”

“It’s not very good for me,” he added.

But instead of repairing the problem, he said Healthy Image refused to see him again because he wouldn’t pay for the initial root canal.

“Why should I pay for something that they caused?” he said. “They need to fix it.”

Dr. Nguyen, and about 70 percent of California dentists, belong to the California Dental Assocation.

If dental patients suspect their dentist made a mistake, the trade organization has a peer review program.

“We’d rather try to handle it outside of the court system,” said Dr. Adrian Carrington, former chair of the Sacramento District Dental Society — a division of the CDA.

[yes, I bet that had much rather do that…  Geez]

If a customer complains about one of the CDA’s members, three independent dentists will examine the case in peer review.

The CDA says about half the time it rules in the patient’s favor, forcing the dentist to give a refund or cover the treatment needed.

“As a member of CDA, part of your membership is you abide by those rules,” Carrington said.

Thomas chose to complain to the state agency that oversees dentists — the Dental Board of California — which has the power to punish dentists.

An investigation with the Dental Board could take as long as 18 months, however.

[More like an eternity, if ever!]

After CBS13 got involved, Healthy Image and Coker are close to a resolution. Thomas said he can’t wait much longer.

[I’m thinking the news media and the public get the job done, better and faster]

Sedation media blitz, round two.

Three weeks ago the powers that be had a media blitz on sedation, here we go, with the followup.

More Dentist Anesthesiologists Are Needed in the Pediatric Setting

http://www.newswise.com/articles/more-dentist-anesthesiologists-are-needed-in-the-pediatric-setting

Released: 3/29/2012 1:00 PM EDT
Source: Allen Press Publishing Services
Newswise — The demand for dentist anesthesiologists in pediatric dental practices is on the rise. More than 70 percent of board-certified pediatric dentists in the United States provide mild to moderate sedation in their practices. Nearly that many, 60 to 70 percent, would use a dentist anesthesiologist if one were available. However, supply cannot yet meet the demand.
The current issue of the journal Anesthesia Progress reports on two congruent surveys, one of board-certified pediatric dentists and one of directors of pediatric dentistry and dental anesthesiology training programs. These surveys explore models of office-based dental sedation and future needs for deep sedation and general anesthesia services in pediatric dentistry.
As much as 12.3 percent of the general U.S. population has been reported to experience dental fear and anxiety. Among junior high and secondary school students, about 18 percent reported moderate dental fear. This is one of the reasons behind the increased need for sedation in dental practices.
Extensive treatment needs, anxiety, uncooperative but age-appropriate behavior, and limited cognitive functioning are among causes that require deep sedation or general anesthesia for young dental patients. Two-thirds of pediatric dentistry residency directors anticipate this need for dental anesthesiology services to increase in coming years. Among dental anesthesiology program directors, 88 percent report increased requests for anesthesiology services by pediatric dentists over the past 10 years.
The addition of a dentist anesthesiologist to a pediatric dental office team can provide depth and scope to a practice, enabling it to offer office-based sedation and anesthesia services. The number of dentist anesthetists currently practicing in the United States is relatively small, though. Considering the future need for these services in the pediatric setting, dental anesthesiology residencies are seeing cases involving young children and those with special health care needs.
Full text of “The Use of Office-Based Sedation and General Anesthesia by Board Certified Pediatric Dentists Practicing in the United States,”
and other articles, Anesthesia Progress, Vol. 59, No. 1, 2012, are available at “http://www.anesthesiaprogress.org/
”
###

FINALLY!! Texas State Dental Board Director resigns before big hearing. Come One, Come All to the April 11, 2012 10:30 Texas State Dental Board Meeting!

By Mary Ann Roser
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Statesman.com Article

Published: 8:47 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Sherri Meek, executive director of the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, resigned earlier this month and will not be present at an April legislative hearing where board critics plan to testify.

Meek, who cited personal reasons for her resignation, is using up personal leave time before her resignation takes effect Aug. 31, said the board’s general counsel, Joy Sparks. Glenn Parker, former executive director of the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners, has been the dental board’s director of administration for the past several months and has taken over as acting executive director with a salary of $75,000, a $5,000 increase to compensate him for his additional duties, according to a letter from Meek to Parker.

Parker will be at the hearing of the House Public Health Committee at 10:30 a.m. April 11 in the Capitol Annex, E2.012.

At the hearing, lawmakers will hear public testimony about various health registries maintained by the state and concerns about the operations of the dental board, including its enforcement practices and a law that allows board members to act as expert witnesses in cases involving dentists, as long as the board does not object.

“No board member has ever asked for permission to serve as an expert,” Sparks said, adding that she “would have absolutely no problem” with an outright ban on it.

Members of the Houston-based Texans for Dental Reform say they plan to speak at the hearing and voice their ongoing concerns about the dental board, including uneven and unfair enforcement of the law; “overemphasis on protection of dentists;” and conflicts of interest.

The hearing is open to the public.

Sherri Meeks has been there since 2007, that’s when it all went to hell in a hand basket in Texas. I’m sure there were initially good intentions with the Frew v Texas lawsuit, but damn!! If I were a conspiracy theorist, I’d think that Private Equity firms and corporate practice of dentistry bandits (DGPA) were at artful play here.

I’m not really a betting person either, but I’d wager the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners are going to need a larger venue come April 11 at their 10:30 AM hearing!!  I also think, Sherri Meeks should be dragged to that hearing, hog tied! What a chicken shit, she is!

What do you think?

State pulls license of Medford dentist | MailTribune.com

 

State pulls license of Medford, Oregon dentist

March 27, 2012
By Mark Freeman
Mail Tribune

State pulls license of Medford dentist | MailTribune.com

A Medford dentist had his license suspended and faces possible revocation after allegedly falsifying dental charts, scamming dental-insurance companies and obtaining marijuana from a patient, state records show.

The Oregon Board of Dentistry ordered the indefinite emergency license suspension for Bongmin An, 43, calling him "a serious danger to public health and safety," according to the March 12 suspension order.

"This happens very infrequently," said Patrick Braatz, the board's executive director. "I've been with the board nine years, and this is probably only the second or third emergency suspension."

An has been licensed for dentistry in Oregon since January 2002 and practiced general dentistry at the Medford Dental Clinic on East Barnett Road in Medford, according to board of dentistry records.

An investigation by the Oregon board revealed that, between August 2009 and this past January, An provided dental treatment for numerous patients but failed to maintain chart notes for any of his patients, according to the dentistry board.

When chart notes were requested to validate insurance claims, An allegedly fabricated them to satisfy requests from dental-insurance companies, the board order states.

The board also has information alleging that An altered dates of treatment of patients in claims sent to dental-insurance companies so the companies would pay benefits for patients who were not entitled to them.

Board investigators also turned up allegations that An had obtained marijuana from a patient identified only as ML, but the board order did not specify when and how many times An allegedly received marijuana from the patient, the board order states.

Braatz said he did not know whether the marijuana was allegedly used as payment in lieu of dental work.

The order alleges that on at least one occasion An stored marijuana in the clinic's freezer and then offered to share it with his employees, the order states.

An was informed of the suspension March 12 just after the board vote, Braatz said. He has requested a hearing on the board's order before an administrative law judge, and one will be scheduled within 30 days, Braatz said.

An did not return telephone calls Monday seeking comment.

The suspension was immediate because An's alleged use of controlled substances "and his authority to prescribe controlled subscription drugs, and his failure to accurately document treatment that was provided to patients poses a great risk of harm to them," the order states.

Mom: Son's Teeth Extracted At School Without Consent - San Diego News Story - KGTV San Diego

Yes, I believe this is the exact same company I put up the open warning letter about just yesterday. The school is trying to get out of it’s responsibility, saying it’s because there are budget cuts and no school nurse!  WHAT!  The school nurse was practicing dentistry too?!!  Lord help us all! Schools need to stay out of the medical field and keep to the three R’s.

See the video at the website

SAN DIEGO -- A local mother is outraged after her 9-year-old son came home from school with four fewer teeth.

"I was livid," said Tina Richardson, mother of 9-year-old Alexander Henry. "I jumped out of my car. I ran back to the school. They were all, 'What's wrong? What's wrong?' I was shaking."

Alexander, a student at Freese Elementary School in Lomita, currently takes part in the Big Smiles Program, an organization that is contracted by the San Diego Unified School District to provide dental care at no cost to hundreds of local children.

Richardson said she signed a form in September, which she believed authorized Big Smiles to examine her son's mouth. Two months later, she received a separate "Exatraction Authorization Form" that indicated Alexander had several teeth with cavities. Richardson said she never signed or returned the form.

"I still have the form here in my hand," she said. "I did not return it to the Big Smiles Corporation. I did not give them permission to pull my son's teeth."

Four of Alexander's teeth -- three on the bottom left, one on the top left -- were pulled at the school by a dentist because two were allegedly loose and the others had cavities in them. The teeth were removed in an empty classroom, instead of in a sterile room or at the nurse's office.

"I hope this isn't going on all over the district somewhere, where they're just going into classrooms and extracting teeth out of children's heads," Richardson said.

A representative for Big Smiles told 10News the original form Richardson signed in September gave Big Smiles permission to extract the teeth.

Late Thursday afternoon, Big Smiles issued the following statement to 10News:

Big Smiles provides quality dental care to children in a school setting. It is our practice to always obtain informed consent and to only provide procedures that are medically necessary. We cannot provide details of this specific case without proper consent given federal laws that protect the privacy of the patient.

Jennifer Gorman, SD Unified's Nursing & Wellness program manager, said it was her understanding Richardson had signed an authorization form. She said they would still look into what happened, even though this probably won't be the last medical problem in local schools.

"These things, other things are going to happen that are beyond our control," Gorman said.

According to Gorman, a significant problem is the lack of school nurses, many of whom have been cut from the school district because of budget cuts. Gorman said a nurse would have been able to oversee Big Smiles' procedures and completion of authorization forms.

Mom: Son's Teeth Extracted At School Without Consent - San Diego News Story - KGTV San Diego

Where does Hoecker get his dough?

Here we have a map of the business of Chad B. Hoecker, DDS of Ocean Dental Centers, another Medicaid dental mill, which has been allowed to infiltrate several states.

He actually has one telecommunication business called “Buck The System”.  LOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here for a much larger view of the map.

I’ve not been able to locate it, but I’m sure there is some Private Equity firm behind him.  However he does have a Private Equity Firm cash management company called Focal Point.

Small Smiles still soliciting dentists to come to work–it’s wonderful they say!! ROTFLMAO

I just get so tickled with I get stuff like this.

Here we have a flier that Missy Green sent out of the Small Smiles Colorado office, just this week, trying to solicited dentists to come to work for them! 

My first question is what about the Kochenbergers?  Jake and Jenna, did they give it up being - slave hunters for Church Street Health Management? 

Well, clearly Missy Green is stilling trying to recruit. Wonder how she tells sells to dentists how wonderful it will be working for the company saving the underserved children across America with the company in bankruptcy, even their $435 million dollar investment bank – Arcaptia-in ruins. That’s an audio I’d love to hear!

Right now we have people in some clinics who have not been paid their February pay checks. Some are working for pennies, if anything at all, since there are fewer victims to over-treat. Remember, if you’ve been there more than 6 months you are off the guaranteed salary payroll and strictly on the Collection Based Salary – commissions basically.

Heck, there is no telling how many employees who have stuck it out that will be on the “unsecured creditors” list soon. Remember, anything they owe after the filed for bankruptcy on February 20th could surely end up on that very list. 

I know, some are already on there, but they could be “another day older and deeper in debit” and owing their soul to the “company store”.. Why is that dang song in my head… lol

As one person pointed out, they can’t close the 3 patient a day clinics since those are “assets” they need to sell…  Oh, wait, they don’t own those clinics, right?  ROTFLMAO! 

Gosh, dangit!  I just can’t keep that straight in my head. Own, don’t own, owner dentists, lead dentists, associate dentists…  Never have gotten the exact definition of an “owner” dentist, well, not officially, but I have heard it explained on audio.

I guess the owners of those clinics should just sell the equipment and move on.  The owners don’t even have to worry about breaking the lease do they, since Church Street Health Management has their name on those leases.  ROTFLMAO!

Chesterfield dentist arrested for practicing without a license | WTVR.com – Richmond News & Weather from WTVR Television CBS 6

 

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) – Police arrested a man for practicing dentistry without proper licensing, according to a press release from Chesterfield County Police. Juan Polanco Dominguez, 44, ran an office out of his Chesterfield County home, police said.

Dominguez was charged with four felonies and five misdemeanors including practicing dentistry without a permit and violation of the professions and occupations act. Dominguez was held on a $15,000 secured bond.

Police want anyone with information about Dominguez to call Chesterfield Police Department at 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660 or text the code tip699 and sent to 274637 (CRIMES)

Chesterfield dentist arrested for practicing without a license | WTVR.com – Richmond News & Weather from WTVR Television CBS 6

Texas, feds take action on orthodontic fraud | wfaa.com Dallas - Fort Worth

 

NEWS 8 INVESTIGATES

DALLAS — A Dallas dentist has agreed to pay the state and federal government $1.2 million to resolve allegations that he submitted false orthodontic claims under Medicaid.

Dr. Richard Malouf, former majority owner of All Smiles Dental Center, allegedly submitted false Medicaid claims between 2004 and 2007.

News 8 reported on Malouf's lavish homes and two multimillion dollar corporate jets. Malouf did not admit any wrongdoing or liability in his settlement.

He is one of several orthodontists highlighted for multimillion dollar billings under Medicaid.

Eleven dental operations statewide have had their state funds suspended for credible allegations of fraud in billing the Texas Medicaid Orthodontics program. This follows a 10-month News 8 investigation of medicaid orthodontics in Texas, which found the state spends more on braces for poor children than the rest of the nation combined.

"Something's wrong and I want my money back," said Texas Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound). Nelson called a hearing to look into how Texas spent $424 million on orthodontics under Medicaid between 2008 and 2010.

Medicaid does not cover cosmetic orthodontics, but a News 8 investigation found that tens of thousands of children received procedures at taxpayer expense.

"What we really want is, we don't want people to do it," said Texas Sen. Bob Duell (R-Rockwall).