Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Dr. James Fruehan - “token” arrested dentist for October 2, 2012 ?

 

PA-AG

October 2, 2012

Wayne County, PA dentist charged with Medicaid Fraud

HARRISBURG - A Wayne County dentist was arrested today on charges that he fraudulently billed the Medical Assistance program for more than $75,000 worth of patient procedures that were allegedly not properly performed or not administered.

Attorney General Linda Kelly identified the defendant as James Fruehan, 52, 51 Marshwood Bend, Clarks Summit. Fruehan is a licensed dentist and owns and operates Fruehan Family Dentistry, 15 Fruehan Drive, State Route 590, Hamlin, Wayne County.Fruehan

According to the criminal complaint, Fruehan submitted claims to Medical Assistance for sealants and prophylaxes (teeth cleanings) that were not provided by Fruehan or licensed dental professionals.

The charges state that Fruehan allowed dental assistants, who did not have a a proper license, to perform teeth cleanings on patients. Fruehan allegedly billed Medical Assistance more than $31,000 for prophylaxes that were provided by the dental assistants. 

Kelly said that more than $35,000 worth of fraudulent claims were allegedly submitted for dental assistants writing "sealants" in the patients? charts, which indicates that they were not done by a dentist, dental hygienist, or expanded function dental assistant.

Teeth Whitening Booth at Oklahoma State Fair Closed By Dental Board

There is no doubt – I’m an idiot. One with a “God Complex”, I’m told. I know this to be true, since I don’t understand the difference between shutting down a teeth whitening booth at the county fair and shutting down illegally operating dental clinics. Here, the Oklahoma dental board actually “staked” out the place and words like “felony” were used.

TULSA, Oklahoma -

Posted: Oct 02, 2012 5:01 PM CDT Updated: Oct 02, 2012 5:39 PM CDT

Lori Fullbright, News On 6

9newsThe State Board of Dentistry shuts down a teeth whitening booth at the Tulsa state fair. The Board got an injunction against EuroShine USA for practicing dentistry without a license.

The Board got a complaint, then staked out the booth Monday and watched them treat six people. The Board says there was a lack of knowledge and sanitary cleanliness that put people's health at risk. tulsa

On Monday, the Dentistry Board told the booth workers to stop operating, then went back the next day with the court order.

Read the application for temporary restraining order

Read the temporary restraining order

When the booth opened Tuesday, the employee began taking down the signs advertising teeth whitening for $40. The Dental Board says the blue light they saw the employee using isn't supposed to be used on people with cataracts or who've had cataract surgery, yet no medical histories were taken.

Nothing out of DC, or anywhere else, on Organized Criminal Dentistry - Why? When?

It's October 2, 2012. Organized criminal dentistry continues with as much vigor today as in 2007. Still, only silence out of Washington.

On November 4 it will be 5 years since the public saw the first video of what these Medicaid dental mills were doing to children. It's been 5 years since I learned of this abuse and I'm still fighting mad over it. It shakes me to my core to think what would be happening if i weren't. As a select few of other Americans, I devote every day to squashing this, dead in its tracks. Does anyone, besides these few  give a shit care?

How many times in the last five years have we heard the cry of corporations at the feet of Congress pleading for more money, citing the death of one child over a tooth infection that migrated to his brain – Deamonte Driver? Too many! This poor child’s death is being used, by corporations and associations, as a tool to abuse other children and be paid by the taxpayer to do so.

How many times have we heard the cry of corporations at the feet of Congress over the abuse of Miguel, seen in the exclusive video? None! N.O.N.E! None! Has any company, or association for that matter, been to Congress pleading for someone to stop the practice of children being tied up in straight jackets, held by 3 or 4 misguided dental assistants only to receive what can only be called barbaric dental treatment? No!

It was 2003 - 9 YEARS ago - when a young reporter – Stuart Watson- in North Carolina first reported about the DeRose family's child abuse for tax dollars scheme. Most enduringly referred to as - "serving the underserved."

It's 2012. The abuse continues daily. The only real thing to change is one, the companies playing the game, more folks want in on the action. Two, the changed the terms used to describe the crimes. “Quota” was changed to “Goals”, the “Goals” changed to “Targets” and “Targets” to “Forecasts”. It’s hard to find new words for abuse a child for a dollar, though.

There are mounds of evidence detailing this criminal behavior which has landed on the desks (or trash cans) of Attorney Generals, Senators and Congressmen - both Federal and State levels. More than enough to make sweeping arrests and stop this child abuse and raping of every taxpayer this very day. Yet, another day will pass and no one stops it. No one closes the doors of the dungeons or arrests the dungeon masters.

You've seen what these children are subjected to - the videos, the testimony, the documents, the first hand accounts from employees, patients and parents!

You've seen testimony of a small child being "waterboarded" by Small Smiles corporate dentist - Megann Scott. Yet, only a "waterboarded" terrorist gets your attention!

You've been shown, just recently, that children are literally kidnapped at bus stops, taken thru the back doors of clinics, then coerced into forging their parents signature! Yet, you do nothing!

You've allowed the chop shops to set up in every poor neighborhood in the country. Even given them our tax dollars to do so.  If allowing these predators this much access to our babies and children was not enough, you've allowed them access to children in our public schools, via gypsy style mobile dental clinics. You have been shown the devastation children are enduring because of this practice - Isaac Gagnon.

You've seen the deaths of babies sedated for over-treatment of dental procedures, yet, you do nothing!

It is a disgrace, crime against humanity, and a black mark on the entire county, to continue to allow this to happen another day. In my opinion, a much bigger than the Fast and Furious debacle.

It's worse than disgraceful this is still happening, 5 years after first being alerted to these children being abused. I am saddened at what is becoming the biggest disgrace of all - the lack of action!

I'm embarrassed nothing is being done - other than a few token arrests of a dentist here and there. Only one, that I'm aware of from the criminal organizations themselves - dentist and inventor Robin Lockwood in Oklahoma.

The companies who have perfected this madness don't even try to defend their actions any longer. Kool Smiles - NCDR for example. The best they can do at this point combat their disgusting behavior is to hire someone that in essence said, "we can abuse and mangle more children for less" My GOD! Are we all insane?!

Are lawmakers and law enforcement hoping the pool of patients will just run dry if it's ignored long enough? I'm note sure. They wouldn't have to bite the hands that feed their campaign coffers, would they? These abused children are growing up, they have not and will not forget the horrors bestowed upon them by these brutal dentists. Nor, will they forget those who sat idly by and let, if not encouraged, it to happen. I doubt they will subject their own children to these abuses, though it may mean no dental care at all for future generations. (This could explain why there is always a crisis in dental health here in America.)

This very day – Tuesday, October 2, 2012- thousands more children will be abused in these clinics, it will happen again tomorrow. What will it take to stop this? Tell me, please. What do you need?

Millions of tax dollars dollars will be paid to companies today to physically abuse, mangle children faces and mouths and leave crippling emotional scars. One such child who suffered these horrors well over a year ago, just this past weekend, gained the courage to leave her mom and spend a few short hours with her grandparents! How is doing nothing about this, OK?

IMG_2820This week, I’m spending my time nurturing a grandchild or two or three. We will be decorating pumpkins, and doing anything else I can think of to give them loving memories. Hopefully they will carry these moments in their hearts and minds, long after I’m gone.

Prosecutors, Attorney Generals, everyone on Capitol Hill, this is to you:

Will you stop the barbaric child abuse and torture by greedy dentists today?

Will you please end this nightmarish treatment that is emotionally crippling our most vulnerable – our children, our grandchildren?

The millions of children who have been permanently scared by abusive dentistry can’t enjoy “Kodak moments”, as above. Their  minds, emotions, as well as their mouths are forever damaged. We as parents and grandparents can’t give them enough loving memories to erase these horrors from their minds.

Do something today?

Monday, October 01, 2012

Erie PA dentist pleads guilty to fraud–Dr. Kristi Ayn Liebau-Grassi

Former Erie-area dentist pleads guilty to billing fraud

By ED PALATTELLA, Erie Times-News
ed.palattella@timesnews.com

Friday September 26, 2012 11:32 PM

Former Erie-area dentist Kristi Ayn Liebau-Grassi would have gone up against many of her former patients if she had gone to trial on fraud charges.

The patients or their parents were prepared to testify that Liebau-Grassi billed Medicaid for dental work -- including crowns and the equivalent of root canals for children -- that was unnecessary or never provided.

The courtroom confrontations will not occur.

Liebau-Grassi, 39, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Erie on Wednesday to 14 felony counts that she defrauded Medicaid by making false statements in health-care matters. The government said the fraud occurred from January 2008 through March 2011, when she was practicing at 4010 East Lake Road in Lawrence Park Township and at the UPMC Hamot Surgery Center.

Liebau-Grassi agreed to pay restitution of $289,000 and faces a year to 18 months in federal prison at her sentencing before U.S. District Judge Sean J. McLaughlin on Feb. 13.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marshall Piccinini and Liebau-Grassi's lawyer, David Ridge, agreed that the federal sentencing guidelines call for that amount of time for Liebau-Grassi, who has no prior record and who will get credit for pleading guilty.

Liebau-Grassi formerly lived in the 6000 block of Bridlewood Drive, in Fairview Township, and now lives in Sugar Land, Texas, near Houston. She remains a licensed dentist, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State. She is free on her own recognizance.

The U.S. Attorney's Office charged Liebau-Grassi, also identified in court records as Kristi Ayn Liebau, by filing what is called a criminal information against her in August. The federal government typically secures grand jury indictments, but Liebau-Grassi, signaling her desire to end the case quickly, agreed to waive an indictment and plead guilty to the information.

Liebau-Grassi spoke softly and dabbed her eyes with a tissue as she told McLaughlin she wanted to plead guilty.

The FBI and a Medicaid investigator with the state Attorney General's Office built the case against Liebau-Grassi. They opened the probe to review concerns about the dental work she said she provided to patients, most of whom were children, Piccinini said.

The investigators found Liebau-Grassi performed unnecessary work, performed work and then billed it as more expensive work, billed for work on teeth that did not exist and billed for procedures so numerous she could have not performed them in the allotted time, Piccinini said. He said patients and other dentists were prepared to testify against her.

In one case, Piccinini said, Liebau-Grassi billed for performing 16 pulpotomies -- or root canals for children -- and installing 16 steel crowns and four composite fillings, all in 17 minutes of surgery time.

Ridge, Liebau-Grassi's lawyer, has said she pleaded guilty to take responsibility for "any and all billing problems."

Liebau-Grassi on Wednesday admitted she was the sole person who signed the billing forms for her office.

ED PALATTELLA can be reached at 870-1813 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNpalattella.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Senator calls for dental inspections Peeler says he'll introduce legislation if need be

Written by
Tim Smith, greenvilleonlineStaff writer

COLUMBIA — Routine state inspections now protect people more from bad food at restaurants than from possible unsafe conditions in dental offices, says the chairman of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee, who said he wants the state to begin routine dental inspections.

And the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee told GreenvilleOnline.com that he thinks the Legislature should look at the idea of routine inspections and broaden them to medical offices.

Sen. Harvey Peeler of Gaffney, who heads the Medical Affairs Committee and is the Senate’s majority leader, said he previously wasn’t aware that dental inspections weren’t conducted by the state.

The Greenville News and GreenvilleOnline.com revealed this month there were no inspections — unlike at least 15 other states — though the state does regularly inspect barber shops and hair salons and looks into complaints about dentists or dental offices.

“If need be, I’ll sponsor the legislation,” he said. “If you inspect a restaurant that you are putting food in your mouth, it seems like you would inspect a dentist office where you put a hand and instruments in your mouth.”

Sen. Larry Martin of Pickens, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said lawmakers should at least study the idea of routine inspections.

“I think that’s something we ought to look at since that issue has been raised,” he said.

Martin said one reason the state may not have developed a system for inspecting dental offices is that three agencies have some part in regulating them — the Department of Health and Environmental Control, the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, which houses the state dental board, and the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

“That may be why there’s no systematic inspection, no more so than there would be of a doctor’s office,” he said.

Martin said other than responding to certain complaints, state agencies might not regularly look at dental and doctors’ offices, even though the labor agency does systematic inspections of manufacturers or other businesses under OSHA responsibility.

“Maybe there should be,” he said. “I don’t know why they wouldn’t ensure that those various requirements are being met on a spot-check basis.”

Asked how Gov. Nikki Haley felt about requiring routine inspections, Rob Godfrey, her spokesman, said the idea has been discussed by the state Dental Board.

“LLR licenses the professional, not the facility, as is authorized by statute, and LLR does undertake inspections when it receives complaints about licensees — the Dental Board by comparison to other boards receives a relatively low volume of complaints,” he said. “The Dental Board has discussed legislation to mandate inspections but thus far none has been introduced.”

“It doesn’t matter a whole lot to me one way or the other,” said Sen. Ray Cleary, the only dentist on Peeler’s committee. “If they think they need more of them (inspections), my feeling is we need to give government the tools they need to govern. So I don’t have a problem increasing the budget for that.”

Cleary, who said he has been in practice since 1975, says he has a “fairly upscale practice.”

“So my patients expect that,” he said. “I haven’t been in some offices that are not upscale, so it’s hard for me to relate to it.”

At least 15 states, according to the American Association of Dental Boards, conduct routine inspections. Nine more — including South Carolina — conduct inspections only if a consumer complaint is lodged.

Other states’ inspections have found violations.

Already this month, six dentists in Ohio, plus a radiographer and a registered dental hygienist have been cited by the Ohio State Dental Board for infractions and violations of that state’s laws and safety precautions, according to public records. Those citations were due to routine inspections conducted by that state’s Dental Board.

The routine inspections in Ohio, said Lili Reitz, executive director of that state’s dental board, are to prevent slips or lapses — or even outdated methods — from occurring. She prefers not to think dentists would deliberately break safety guidelines, even though she knows that happens.

“We’ve had everything from dentists bringing pets into the office to them sterilizing instruments in toaster ovens,” she said. “We have a checklist for them to follow. A dentist can’t say they’re caught off-guard.

“But in 90 percent of the cases, we’ll find a violation or two. When we do, we’ll be back.”

Recently, her inspectors visited a Veterans Administration hospital after a consumer complaint. VA facilities don’t usually fall under the board’s jurisdiction, but they conducted an emergency inspection regardless.

“We discovered a dentist had potentially infected 600 patients with Hepatitis C because he wasn’t sterilizing properly,” she said. “He wasn’t using gloves, he wasn’t meeting standards. He was 81 years old and that’s how he’d always done it.

“How would you ever know this if you’re not going out there to inspect?”

The South Carolina Board of Dentistry conducts licensing exams and annual registration of dentists, dental hygienists, dental laboratory technicians and ortho-technicians.

It also investigates complaints and conducts disciplinary hearings. But it doesn’t conduct routine inspections. Nor does the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, which treats dental offices differently than some other medical providers, such as hospitals or nursing homes.

Under the South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration, dentist offices are subject to federal safety standards like the “Bloodborne Pathogens Standard” and guidelines for X-ray machines. Employees must safeguard themselves with gloves, face and eye protection and gowns, but no routine inspections are conducted for compliance.

This leaves the state’s dentists solely responsible for infection control in their own facilities, responsible for patient safety, for their own safety and for the safety of their staff.

An examination of the latest LLR annual report, from 2010-11, shows the state has 2,700 dentists, 3,300 hygienists and 3,600 dental assistants. Those individuals were subject to 86 complaints during the fiscal year. Those complaints prompted 71 investigations. From those, two licensees — not necessarily dentists — were ordered to cease and desist; one entered into a consent agreement; and nine received letters of caution.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Employee complaint about dental office sanitation


http://news.com.au/national/dentist-clinic-operates-without-steriliser/story-fndo4ckr-1226483364907


Judge stops case where dentist sues patient for Yelp review


http://www.kval.com/news/local/Dentist-who-sued-patient-over-Yelp--171840671.html?m=y&smobile=y


Thursday, September 27, 2012

Whistleblowers, we should all be one!

Whistleblowers Help Texas In Medicaid Fraud Cases

ttWith the help of private whistleblowers, Texas has reaped more in Medicaid fraud settlements with pharmaceutical companies than any other state, according to a report released Thursday by Public Citizen, a nonpartisan consumer advocacy organization. 

“When I’ve spoken with a couple of other states, they definitely recognize Texas as a leader in enforcing pharmaceutical fraud,” said Dr. Sammy Almashat, one of the report's authors.

Texas has recovered at least $354 million in Medicaid fraud settlements from pharmaceutical companies since 1991 with the help of private whistleblowers, according to the report. Almashat said that’s because under Texas law, whistleblowers can receive between 15 to 25 percent of the financial penalties of a Medicaid fraud settlement for bringing the case forward.

Although 13 states have similar laws, “Texas is a unique case, because other states haven’t been nearly as active as Texas in taking advantage of whistleblower revelations in prosecuting,” civil Medicaid fraud, said Almashat.

“A whistleblower brings unique underlying knowledge about the fraud that was perpetrated by the defendant in the case,” said Daniel Hodge, first assistant attorney general. In all civil Medicaid fraud cases — including those against pharmaceutical companies and many others — in the last 10 years, Texas has recovered $880 million, said Hodge, and $373 million of that went to the state treasury. 

The whistleblower cases are entirely responsible for that $880 million, Hodge said, explaining that although the Inspector General at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission referred 12,000 criminal Medicaid fraud cases to the AG's office since 2002, during that same time, that agency only referred three civil Medicaid fraud cases.

Currently, a top priority at the AG’s Office is to pursue orthodontic and dental fraud in the Medicaid Program, said Hodge. The office has assembled the Orthodontic and Dental Fraud Task Force to combine resources at various agencies, including the Office of Inspector General at the HHSC. At least one case being pursued by the task force was referred by a whistleblower. 

Given the significant portion of the state budget that goes to Medicaid, “it’s more critical than ever for the taxpayers that we aggressively pursue any actors that defraud the taxpayers and recover those dollars,” Hodge said. “We’re thrilled that Texas has been recognized for [Attorney] General Abbott’s efforts to prioritize uncovering and recovering waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicaid program.”

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Sun Orthodontix raided by FBI–Life in dental fraud is not as rosy as it used to be, is it?

We’re getting there… 


by BYRON HARRIS

Bio | Email

WFAA-TV

Posted on September 26, 2012 at 5:58 PM

Updated today at 6:18 PM

Story TimelineClick to open timeline

Related:

NEWS 8 INVESTIGATES

In the largest action to date, the FBI, state investigators and the attorney general have raided the offices of Sun Orthodontix.

Sun doesn't have locations in North Texas, but it was the second largest biller for braces under Medicaid in 2010.

Part of its huge growth in Texas is linked to Medicaid dental bills. News 8 found Texas dentists were charging taxpayers for putting braces on kids who didn't qualify for them under Medicaid.

Sun collected more than $9.6 million in 2010, according to state records.

FBI agents were part of Monday's raids at Sun offices, which stretch from El Paso to Corpus Christi.

"The FBI doesn't show up when they think you've committed a crime... they know you've committed a crime long before they show up," said Houston attorney Jim Moriarty, who is part of a whistle-blower case against Dallas-based All Smiles Dental Centers.

The joint raid is the largest action so far against a dental firm in Texas.

"I think you may see tens or hundreds of dentists who end up with civil or criminal charges against them," Moriarty said. "I think there is a tsunami of criminal action against crooked orthodontists in Texas."

No criminal charges have been filed against Sun or its dentists. But the company has been in a dispute with Medicaid. The state quit paying Sun Orthodontix earlier this year, questioning its practices.

Sun has taken the state to court for money it says it is owed.

E-mail bharris@wfaa.com

Ohio State Dental Board Compliance Manual

Remember the stories last week about state not inspecting dental offices for sanitation.

Ohio State Dental Board Compliance Manual