Small Smiles Still Abusing Children - Corporate Integrity Agreement A Failure

FORBA's Small Smiles Dental Clinics in Oklahoma is looking for 'associate' dentists for its Oklahoma Smiles clinic located in North Oklahoma City while under the cloud of a class action suit recently filed alleging more child abuse and assault on children in these clinics.

As usual the ad talks about working in, and I quote:

"our rewarding work environment!".

About the only thing "rewarding" thing you will likely get in working at any of these clinics seems to be the extremely high risk of a malpractice lawsuit that can and will haunt you for years to come!  Make sure you get "tail" insurance!  In fact, I would demand it!  Legal fees alone could bring you to bankruptcy. I think I would also want "Claims Based" insurance and not "Occurrence Based".  Again, because of claims that could arise way into the future. 

In some states children have many years to file suit for injuries that occurred when they were small.  What if you treated a four year old who lives in a state where he/she can file an injury claim until they are 20, that is 16 years you have to worry about keeping your "tail" covered.  Is a job at FORBA and its Small Smiles clinics worth it.  This is true for Kool Smiles and other dentists "over" serving children for a dollar.

I would not be surprised, after all the claims being filed by former Small Smiles patients, to find malpractice insurance premiums skyrocket for dentist and/or other staff who had previously worked for FORBA's Small Smiles clinics or other dental mills.

"We offer excellent earning potential based on collections with a guaranteed minimum income"

" We also offer a benefits package that is hard to beat (including 401(k) retirement with company match and 100% coverage for health insurance, malpractice insurance, disability insurance, continuing education, dues and fees). Relocation reimbursement offered and licensing assistance provided."

Please contact Jacob at:

Direct Phone: 719-562-4460

Email: jdkochenberger@forba.com

Fax: 719-584-7697

If I were to work for these scumbags, which I would NEVER do if I planned on any type of good reputation carrying through in my career I would pay close attention to the bold terms highlighted above.

I would also worry about the stringent contract presented to me and have my own attorney look it over before signing, as you should for any contract!  Contract always favor the presenter of the contract, i.e. FORBA.

I would also worry about the Corporate Integrity Agreement this company has signed with the Federal Government.  I was told that FORBA requested its employees to also sign this thing.   Do you honestly think, FORBA will protect you?  

Presently they are having problems with Insurance coverage, themselves.  Not sure how they  feel they can offer up something in which they may not have access. 

Here is a comment I recently received on the matter when FORBA approached them to renew their contract under the new "collections" based salary :

As a dentist who just ended their contract with Forba recently, I would agree with you on many points here.  The worst part about the 'percentage' contract is how low it is.

For example, any private practice employer would pay between 25-30% of collections.  I received a printout of the breakdown for the percentage from Forba even though I only had a few weeks left on my contract and I was only a part time hourly doctor. 

Needless to say, the amount of treatment that needs to be conducted in order for a doctor to meet their minimum salary based on the old contract, is about $3000 a day collections (including personal, ancillary, and clinic contributions to overall collections). 

Under my contract with another private practice, I would only need to collect $2000 a day.  What this means is that a doctor would have to collect 1.5x as much as I would to make the same amount of money, and that doesn't include the salary lost with PTO, vacation, and paid holidays. 

This also means that doctors may be more inclined to 'find' cavities than they were when they were on a set salary and could concentrate more on proper treatment and behavior management;  now it means that a doctor might be quicker to use a papoose or more aggressive with treatment planning than with the prior contract, just to make the same amount of money.

 As recently as August 9, 2010 there are reports of tying up children to overtreat!

Hello, my name is William and it is my belief that the Small Smiles dentistry clinic in Dothan Alabama abused my four year old daughter.

She went in for a "small" filling and was tied to a board, blindfolded with a rag and given two root canals and crowns in under twenty minutes.

This was three weeks ago on the 9th of August.

It wasn't until after a couple of days of ranting and raving before I discovered that I wasn't alone. I came across the 20/20 news report and SNAPPED I could not believe that not even a year after a federal suit they are still treating babies the same way.

I never would have taken my babies there had I known that they are the McDonald of dentistry. We trusted the recommendation of our local school system.
I have since learned of several other families who have treated the same way.

Thank you for your concern
William
smallsmilesabuse.com

On a side note here, the creeps running FORBA sure want to take our tax dollars and live like 'kings' but they sure get bent out of shape when you start naming names, don't they?  

Business Service Agreements: A Tool for Deception within the Corporate Dental Support Industry

Business Service Agreements: A Tool for Deception within the Corporate Dental Support Industry
By Michael W. Davis, DDS

Business Service Agreements (BSAs), also called Business Service Contracts or Management Service Agreements (MSAs), are a tool created by the dental support industry (a/k/a dental support organizations) to mask their true business operational models. These contracts are generated between the unlicensed ownership (corporate beneficial owner) and the sham figurehead owner (nominee owner dentist(s)).
These agreements contain a variety of misrepresentations specifically designed to circumvent the rule of law. These BSAs serve as a lynchpin supporting the unlawful house of cards, of largely unlicensed and unregulated healthcare entities. Please note: the term “dental support organization” is also an intentional misrepresentation, to mask beneficial ownership.
Case precedent was established in federal Fifth Circuit ruling 07-30430)¹., in which the court determined a Dental Support (Service) Organization (DSO), Orthodontic Centers of America (beneficial owner of dental clinics), was engaged in the unlicensed and unlawful practice of dentistry. The court also ruled the business agreements with so-called “owner” dentists were unenforceable and non-severable (denying one part could be enforced while another could not), because elements in these contracts were unlawful, the entire contract was rendered unenforceable.
Nationally, every DSO has created different BSAs. And, within different states, different DSOs will produce different agreements. However, there exist common features worth examination in the vast majority of these contracts.

Dental Clinic Ownership
The DSO generally will deny ownership of the dental practice. Yet, the DSO usually owns the facility or is the landlord on the lease agreement. The DSO owns the dental equipment, supplies, and any possible leasehold improvements.
The DSO enjoys contract rights to control what dentists or entity may be artificially designated as “owners”. An owner dentist(s) may not freely sell “their” asset of a dental practice, and thus are merely façade nominee owners. The DSO controls the bank accounts of the “owners’” clinic bank accounts, which are swept out several times per week, or daily. These are central points in the lawsuit against Dental One Partners, DentalWorks, et al, by 14 duly licensed North Carolina dentists enjoined by the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners, in 2013.^2.

Tenet Healthcare (NME) Corporate Integrity Agreements Look Much the Same.

Tenet Healthcare Corporation, formerly National Medical Enterprises (NME) accused of committing fraud by admitting thousands of psychiatric patients who did not need it. Over a period of 3 years had it’s offices raided, settled lawsuits in the amount of $2.5 million, paid $380 million and plead guilty of 8 criminal counts by two of its facilities. This company too, agreed to a 5 year Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) on September 27, 1996. Tenet also owned the Redding Medical Center, in California that delivered unnecessary heart surgeries to over 600 patients. They paid the federal and state government $54 million in fines and admitted no wrong doing.

In 2004 Tenet paid another $395 million to 769 patients to settle the lawsuits that followed. You can read about each of the scandals in the books Coronary – A True Story of Medicine Gone Awry, by Stephen Klaidman and Money-Driven Medicine by author Maggie Mahar.  Mentioned in both books, is James Robert Moriarty, of Moriarty-Leyndecker, who is leading up the civil suits against Church Street Health Management and it’s string of illegal Medicaid dental clinics.

2006 Tenet paid total of $900 million in fees to resolve more claims of defrauding Medicare. Tenet was also the owner of the Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans where a doctor and two nurses were arrested on charges of second-degree murder in the deaths of four patients after Hurricane Katrina.

Tenet Healthcare's 1996 CIA compared to the 2010 Church Street Health Management’s CIA, look much the same. Very little of the boilerplate form has changed since 1996.

The Announcement, $24 Mil. Settlement

All I can say, is WOO HOO!

After two plus years and hundreds of hours compiling info and haphazardly posting the bits of what I found here, as well as the great work by several reporters across the US, whose reports you find on this site. Justice has finally come.

After being sued in Federal Court by FORBA for libel, trade secrets and something else (been so long I forgot) (as one put it "I took a bullet for the cause.") Justice has finally come.

After staying strong, a few sleepless nights, and a lot of legal research, (felt like I could pass the bar exam before it was over) but I hung in there and wore them down to drop the suit. Justice has finally come.

Anything we've gone through to get this story told can NOT compare to the mental, physical and emotional abuse hundreds of thousands of children have suffered at the hands of these dentists and FORBA Holding, LLC and it's execs over the years, at least since 2003 and probably further back. My hope was the place would be shut down completely. That they would never get their hands on another child and not receive another penny of our tax dollars. I'm not sure what it's going to take to make that happen. Mike DeRose and Tish Ballance in the North Carolina offices were fined $10 mil two years ago, and Tish is right back at it, in Wayneboro, NC. (Carolina West Dental) and still living high.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

National Dental Management Company Pays $24 Million to Resolve Fraud Allegations

Medically Unnecessary Dental Services Allegedly Performed on Children

WASHINGTON - The United States today announced that it has settled False Claims Act allegations against FORBA Holdings LLC, a dental management company that provides business management and administrative services to 69 clinics nationwide known as "Small Smiles Centers." Under the agreement, FORBA will pay the United States and participating states $24 million, plus interest, to resolve allegations that it caused bills to be submitted to state Medicaid programs for medically unnecessary dental services performed on children insured by Medicaid, which is funded jointly by the federal and state governments. FORBA has further agreed to put in place various remedial measures designed to prevent similar unlawful conduct from occurring in the future. The government’s investigation of individual dentists is ongoing, and FORBA is cooperating with that investigation by providing information about dentists who may have violated professional standards.

The United States alleged that FORBA was liable for causing the submission of claims for reimbursement for a wide range of dental services provided to low-income children that were either medically unnecessary or performed in a manner that failed to meet professionally-recognized standards of care. These services included performing pulpotomies (baby root canals), placing crowns, administering anesthesia (including nitrous oxide), performing extractions, and providing fillings and/or sealants.

"We have zero tolerance for those who break the law to exploit needy children," said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. "Illegal conduct like this endangers a child’s well-being, distorts the judgments of health care professionals, and puts corporate profits ahead of patient safety."

Assistant Attorney General West praised the collaborative efforts of the federal and state agencies that made this result possible. The Justice Department’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Maryland, the Western District of Virginia, the District of South Carolina, and the District of Colorado handled these cases. The Civil Division led the nationwide investigation, which was conducted by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units.

To resolve the allegations against it, FORBA will pay $24 million, plus interest. The federal share of the civil settlement is $14,285,645, and the states’ Medicaid share is $9,714,355.25. In addition, as part of the settlement, FORBA has agreed to enter into an expansive five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services. The agreement provides for procedures and reviews to be put in place to avoid and promptly detect conduct similar to that which gave rise to this matter. Specifically, FORBA must engage external reviewers to monitor its quality of care and reimbursement processes. In addition, the chief dental officer must develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure that the Small Smiles clinics provide services consistent with professionally recognized standards of care. FORBA has also agreed to cooperate in the government’s continuing investigation of individual dentists.

"We will not tolerate Medicaid providers who prey on vulnerable children and seek unjust enrichment at taxpayers’ expense," said Daniel R. Levinson, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "This settlement reaffirms our commitment to protect the health and well-being of Medicaid beneficiaries and to ensure the integrity of this essential health care program."

"Health care providers must be held accountable when they mistreat patients and overcharge insurers," said Rod J. Rosenstein, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. "We are committed to using our affirmative civil enforcement authority to protect patients from inadequate care and protect governmental health coverage programs from fraudulent charges."

The government’s investigation was initiated by three lawsuits filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private citizens to sue on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery. These actions are pending in the U.S. District Courts for the District of Maryland, the Western District of Virginia, and the District of South Carolina. As part of today’s resolution, the three whistleblowers will receive payments totaling more than $2.4 million from the federal share of the settlement.

"In this case, FORBA put greed and profits before the well-being of children," said Timothy J. Heaphy, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. "It endangered the health and safety of innocent children and defrauded the taxpayer of millions of dollars. Today’s settlement addresses these egregious acts and sends a clear message that Medicaid fraud will be expeditiously addressed by this Department."

This settlement with FORBA is part of the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in that effort is the False Claims Act, which the Department of Justice has used to recover approximately $2.2 billion since January 2009 in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs. The Justice Department’s total recoveries in False Claims Act cases since January 2009 have topped $3 billion.

The settlement is to be paid over a 5 year period.

Here is FORBA's response. Never seen such a short statement in my life!!

“This comprehensive resolution encourages us to continue to focus on vital,
high-quality dental care for children in America’s low-income communities,
and allows us to build on the improvements implemented since the company
was acquired in September 2006. We look forward to fulfilling our
commitment to the dental health of underserved children for years to come.”

Nothing but empty words.

Academy Of General Dentists (AGD) and the American Dental Association (ADA) Respond to Scathing Senate Report on Corporate Dentistry

If you read this blog at all I’m sure you haven’t forgotten the Joint Staff Report issued a couple of weeks ago, by Senators Baucus and Grassley, where they told of the abuse and illegal activities of Small Smiles Dental and other corporate dental chains.  With Small Smiles in particular they laid it out for everyone; from the founders to the current CEO and Garrison Group. 

To top it off, they all but call the folks at HHS/OIC who are supposedly “monitoring” this company, incompetent imbeciles.  It for certain shed light on the “pay to play” action going on between HHS/OIG and Small Smiles Dental Centers; sounded more like a game of Cat and Mouse Extortion between the two to me.  If HHS/OIG were actually assessing the fines for this company laid out in the 2010 Corporate Integrity Agreement, I’d say it would add up to $4 Billion by now.  (ok, I’m exaggerating, but it would be HUGE!)  A couple of years ago, I was told by someone I won’t quote (they don’t like being quoted at HHS/OIG) that they…being OIG…take “Quality of Care Corporate Integrity Agreements very seriously.  I say HA! (as I role my eyes) 

Anyway, below are the responses from the AGD and ADA to the Baucus- Grassley Report.  Hard to believe they are housed at the same address in downtown Chicago.

(I may have messed with the picture a little, but I couldn’t help it.  I only have so much control, ya know)

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The AGD Response

AGD applauds Senate report on corporate dentistry

 

Jul 26, 2013

CHICAGO, Ill., USA: The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is applauding a jointly issued U.S. Senate report that criticized large corporate dental practices that engage in deceptive overtreatment of patients. The report, co-released July 23 by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the ranking member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, is titled “Joint Staff Report on the Corporate Practice of Dentistry in the Medicaid Program.”

The report says that the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) “should exclude from participating in the Medicaid program” any other corporate entity that employs a “fundamentally deceptive business model resulting in a sustained pattern of substandard care.”

$23,900,000.00 Benevis / Kool Smiles Dental Clinic Settlement Agreement with DOJ

This is for the period of January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2011.

That is 3 years.

They have been in business with this exact same business model since 2002, when FFL Partners found Dr. Tran and Dr. Pham at the Denver Small Smiles Dental Clinic and offered them an opportunity of a lifetime; to start their very own Medical Mill and become “owner dentists”.

It’s now January 2018. 

So, 15 years, right? This settlement covers 3 of 15 years.

The way I see it, they should pony up an additional $286,800,000.00.

I don’t see any Corporate Integrity Agreement; let’s hope that is a seperate Agreement yet to be released.

$23,900,000.00 Benevis Kool Smiles Dental Settlement Agreement with DOJ - January 2018

Related:

September 2009 Office Score Card

FY 2011 Texas Kool Smiles Stainless Steel Crowns Billed

Astroturfing by the Dental Support Organization Industry

Dr. Michael W. Davis maintains a general dental practice in Santa Fe, NM. He serves as chairperson for Santa Fe District Dental Society Peer-Review. Dr. Davis also provides a fair amount of dental expert legal work for attorneys. He may be contacted via email: MWDavisDDS@comcast.net

“Astroturfing is the practice of masking the sponsors of a message or organization (e.g., political, advertising, religious or public relations) to make it appear as though it originates from and is supported by grassroots participant(s).”^1. -Wikipedia 
Introduction
It is imperative the so-called “dental support organization industry” (DSO industry) employ astroturfing techniques, as their entire business model is formulated on gross misrepresentations.^2-12 In order to obfuscate the rule of law relating to the unlicensed and unlawful practice of dentistry, these corporate entities must misrepresent themselves as only providing limited nonclinical support services for their chains of dental practices. This is patently false, and has been challenged by numbers of legal rulings and studies. In reality, DSOs either represent the true beneficial owners and clinical management for vast numbers of dental clinics, or they provide management for the private equity beneficial ownership. Doctors only serve in a limited role as facade nominee owners. The word “support” is intentionally designed to deceive. The lies go on.

Forms of DSO Astroturfing
There are four basic designs of astroturfing utilized by the DSO industry. At the most basic level is DSOs placing bogus positive patient reviews with online rating services or their website. The next astroturfing technique involves individual dentists who openly advocate for the DSO industry. The third method employs hired public relations and public advocacy specialists. The final level, and often most challenging to prove, is hired lobbyists who direct public policy through directly influencing government agencies and government elected officials. 

Bogus online Patient Reviews
Although this form of deceptive advertising is unlawful, violators are rarely discovered or sanctioned.¹³ The DSO utilizes existing employees or a retained service to generate positive patient reviews for dental services with online review sites, and/or their own website. Often the specific language utilized in the review is a tip-off, that the bogus reviewer is truly not a clinical dental patient, but working in the dental field. Certain DSOs have such a disturbingly high degree of employee turnover and negative staff retention rates, they now resort to posting bogus positive reviews of current or former employees on employment websites such as Glassdoor.com and Indeed.com. One will generally see multiple low rated “one-star” reviews, intermixed with over-the-top glowing “five-star” reviews. Obviously, corporate astroturfing is in play. 

Individual Dentists Espousing the DSO Agenda
On occasion, state legislatures will take up the cause of regulating and restricting the DSO industry to benefit the public interest. Bills will be presented to establish enhanced transparency in true beneficial clinic ownership. Clarification will be added to protect the doctor/patient relationship (contract), and patient rights such as the informed consent process, and always holding the patient’s interests paramount in clinical decisions. Truth in advertising and lending will be advocated. Mechanisms for bait-and-switch schemes will be discouraged.

Is Rick Workman trying to dump his baby - Heartland Dental - before its value is zero?

Many in the industry don’t see it.  Even more are in denial about it. But it’s happening, non-the-less. Corporate Dentistry is under attack. Federal, state and local governing boards as well as law enforcement agencies are making bold moves to clean up what has been left to run amok for years. This “clean up” may be fatal. Which is fantastic for every person in America, because everyone sees the dentist at some point.

Though it may be slow and painful. Has Rick Workman finally come to gripes with that reality? I think this is a HUGE signal to all “corporate dental chains” out there. When one of the first, largest and most influential entities in the industry is ready to tuck it’s tail and run, you know it’s bad.

 

Heartland Dental Care, Inc. Sale
September 6, 2012
Heartland Dental Care Inc., one of the largest dental practice management companies in the United States, is exploring a sale that could fetch as much as $1.4 billion, according to two people familiar with the matter, Reuters wrote Thursday. The company, in which Chicago-based private equity firm CHS Capital Partners has a stake, has hired investment banks Jefferies and Moelis to find a buyer and has drawn interest mostly from other buyout firms, the people said.
(Reuters) – Heartland Dental Care Inc, one of the largest dental practice management companies in the United States, is exploring a sale that could fetch as much as $1.4 billion, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The company, in which Chicago-based private equity firm CHS Capital Partners has a stake, has hired investment banks Jefferies and Moelis to find a buyer and has drawn interest mostly from other buyout firms, the people said.

The sources asked not to be identified because the process is not public.
Heartland Dental has about $120 million in annual earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and could be sold for 10 to 12 times EBITDA, they added.

The auction is early in the second round and final bids are expected about a month from now, according to the people. Jefferies has offered to provide financing for potential buyers, they added.

Representatives for Heartland Dental, CHS Capital, Jefferies and Moelis did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

 

Is CSHM, LLC taking full responsibility for all future legal actions against Small Smiles Dental Centers? You decide.

Update: 10-24-2013 10:58AM

On October 9, 2013 the so-called “new company” who owns and operates all the Small Smiles Dental Centers that have managed to remain open denounced its association with the so-called former owners and management company.  (see statement below)

In making this claim, they must also be taking full responsibility for any and all illegal activities and/or malpractice issues that could arise in the future, right?  As the below email suggests, those will be coming.

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Hi - I have kept up with your site for a while now because honestly it was the only way to find out the "real" news on Small Smiles. I am former employee of Small Smiles in South Carolina. When I took the position I had NO clue what I was getting into. I resigned from my position due to the horrible reputation Small Smiles has and it was mentally exhausting to even go to work.

Another FORBA Insurance Company Does Not Want To Pay Up - No Big Surprise Here

FORBA Holding and its parent company, Small Smiles Holding seem to be having a magnitude of problems getting their insurance companies to pay up and/or continue coverage.  I am just taking a wild guess here but I think that might get much worse in the future.

Imagine the liability and increase in risk when clinic fully implement the sedation of children, either at a local hospital, surgery center, and in some cases, in house!!!!!!!!!!  Please see Meet The Dead Children On the Right.

Today FORBA filed a lawsuit against Zurich:  See It Here

On January 15, 2010, FORBA signed a settlement agreement with the United States Department of Justice and OIG-HHS whereby FORBA agreed to make a structured settlement payment of $14,285,644.75 (plus interest) to the United States, in exchange for a release of claims against it, its current officers and directors, its parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates, and the Small Smiles Dental Centers arising from the alleged wrongful conduct. 

FORBA also agreed to pay attorneys’ fees in the aggregate amount of $182,183.52 to three relators that filed qui tam actions alleging wrongful acts on the part of FORBA, as well as other defendants.

Pursuant to settlement agreements with each of the states and the District of Columbia, FORBA agreed to pay the aggregate amount of $9,714,355.25 (plus interest) to Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia in exchange for a release of claims against it, its current officers and directors, its parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates, and the Small Smiles Dental Centers arising from the alleged wrongful conduct.

Payment of $24 million is chump change to protect its current officers and directors, keep them out of jail.  In addition to keeping their families all nice and cozy in their elabrate homes and jet setting lifestyles. 

Since the agreement was signed and the token pledge of the Corporate Integrity Agreement, FORBA has managed to bill medicaid over $131 million in the last 10 months. 

FORBA states in the lawsuit they informed Zurich in November 2007, while the policy was in force, about the investigation and costs involved in defending themselves.  Zurch says too bad, you did not get a draft settlement until August 2009, so you are on your own.

I'm no genius, but does there seem to be a pattern emerging here?  No insurance company wants to cover FORBA,  Small Smiles Clinics, Small Smiles dentists and other employees for all their misdeeds. The ones that have hung on,  are doing so "eyes wide open" and most likely "rates sky high".

I am concerned FORBA and Small Smiles Holding have failed to inform their insurance companies of the hundreds of lawsuits in the works against, the clinics, the dentists, the staff, the directors, the officers down to the cleaning lady.  Ok, that was a lie, I'm not concerned one bit!

To you those dentists who have been fool enough to lend your name to FORBA so they can use you as an "owner", you may be in the worst shape of all.  You would be wise to storm the FORBA offices and demand your rubber stamps back and your names removed from all legal filings, and do so before the shredder gets fired up. 

 Do any of you have any idea all the documents they file a year with your name stamped all over it?

Dr. Jodi Kuhn

Dr. Olivia Croom

Dr. Helen K. Petersen

Dr. William Nash

Dr. Monica Switzer

Dr. Mark Toncini

Dr. Victoria Fletcher-Barnes

Dr. Medrina Gilliam

Dr. Gloria King

Dr. Latanya Gallon

Dr. Kevin Kingry

Dr. Karen Chu-Gongora

Dr. Randy Ellis 

Dr. Bonnie Mora

Dr. Toni Adderly

Dr. Daniel Spears

Dr. Todd Bjur

Dr. Zane Plamer

Dr. Ken Knott

Dr. Robert Andrus

Small Smiles Dentist Pay To Be Production Based Only by January 2011-No Vacation-No Holidays-No Paid Time Off

ATTN- Current and Future Small Smiles Dentists.  This is a News Alert!

You are about to get your chance to get the hell out of this corrupt company.  If I were you, I'd take it and run like the wind.  I'm telling you this so you will have time to start looking for work elsewhere.  I also expect you to leave your bad training and treatment habits behind and never touch a papoose board again, unless its an emergency.  I have a very large database and will be checking for complaints for years to come.

In the next few months you are going to be presented with an ultimatum.  Either sign a new contract or you have 90 days to move on to greener pastures.

For those of you who are seeing new ads on the Internet for dentists, BEWARE, it's a bait and switch, read on for clarification.

For all  'sponsored' foreign dentists who are here and enslaved to FORBA, it's time to decide, stay or move back to your mother country.  I would go home.  If you stay with FORBA chances are you will be in deep doo doo with the government before too long.  You won't be able to open your own practice and the market is about to be flooded with out of work dentists.   The dental mills are on their way out… and that leaves you no where to go… A 'Dentist Without A Country' so to speak.

Those of you who are locked in because of student loans, here is your chance to change your ways and find another job and if it were me, I would have done it yesterday.  It's only my opinion, but it's an informed opinion.

Here is what is about to happen:

Currently FORBA VIP's are making the rounds to each clinic with their power-point presentation.  First thing you want to realize is they are going to make this sound fantastic for you, but it is NOT.  They are about to sell you a bag of bullshit, just as they've sold their services to all those poor children and their parents.  FORBA speaks with forked tongue, not sometimes, but always.  You surely know by now you are not working for the most above board company in the world.

In this presentation they are going to tell you it's all on you from now on.  You probably already know this, since FORBA forced you to sign the Corporate Integrity Agreement, they chose to sign with Health and Human Services. 

You are going to have no base salary, no holiday pay, no paid time off, no weekend pay, and NO vacations.  You are about to be paid only a percentage of your production, somewhere between 17 and 24 percent. 

This is FORBA's way of washing their hands clean and hanging you out to dry.  Not to worry, Dr. Stephen Adair will hang you out to dry in a New York minute or quicker if FORBA needs him to do so.  He will say whatever they tell him to say to hang any problems or issues that come up on Y.O.U.

(remember, Dr. Stephen Adair is a NON-practicing dentist, put a drill in his hands and he wouldn't know what to do with it, but he, like me, can sure write or talk about it.  The only people who are impressed with him are other nonpracticing dentists, and they are as useless as screen door on a submarine.)

Remember why FORBA and its Small Smiles clinics have been able to make a billions by it's quantity, not quality care. 

FORBA is going to tell you that they are having to do this because of the Compliance Agreement they signed with the government.  That is not true and I suggest you read the agreement, here. 

If patients don't show up, you don't make any money.  If FORBA fails to bill correctly or fraudulently you get screwed.  Who do you think they are going to say submitted the fraudulent billing, yes, Y.O.U. 

If you think they are breathing down your neck now for production, imagine what is about to come your way.

You will be required to stay at the clinic whether patients show or not.  You will only get paid once a month and that will be what FORBA says you made.  You will also be 'on call' at all times.  Just as if you owned your own private practice.

They are going to tell you they are being forced to do this because of all the expenses they are incurring from having to hire so many public relations companies and law firms.  What they won't tell  you is how much they pay various lobbyist.  Remember they are incurring these expenses because they have stolen millions and millions and millions of dollars of our tax dollars, that includes your tax dollars!  Nothing like getting screwed twice and not even a kiss.

These changes are going to hit Colorado and Indiana first in a 15 clinic startup plan.  FORBA will roll it out for the rest of the company this fall and be completely in place at all clinics by January 2011.

When they come to visit you, ask questions and lots of them.  They are shifting all the responsibility on your shoulders while they call you daily and demand more production. 

You will no longer be able to treat per your education and medical judgment.  You will be required to apply statistical treatment methods on ALL patients.  Other than knowing how to use the equipment in the facility, you won't need to know a thing about dentistry.  They will tell you exactly what you can do and what you can't do, no judgment or patient evaluation needed. Just follow the flow chart treatment.

Of course they are going to paint a wonderful picture with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, and make no mistake sugar plums are all that are in any of their heads…

If they can't sell this to you, they go belly up.  Be on guard! Be job hunting and save your soul from damnation and nullify your contract when asked and do it with glee!

Related Article

Closing Day for Church Street Health Management-Small Smiles Dental Centers

No, not closing the doors, but I expect that soon.

Today was supposed to be the closing day for the sale of Church Street Health Management.

Yes, Church Street Health Management, LLC will now become CSHM, LLC with basically the same Private Equity Investors as before, CIT Corporation and others. The Carlyle Group swears they are out of it, I’m not sure. They say the “exited” in the last year. It must have been in the last 6 months!

Sales and Credit Agreement

The investors basically sunk another $25 million dollars into the company in February to keep it afloat while it “reorganized”. Whatever that means. No one else wanted to jump on the sinking ship so …. it became the property of the same folks.  If they aren’t pissed, they should be.

Since then they have ended up the subject of at least two Bloomberg reports. As usual they never come out looking good. But, honestly, how could they? They whole bunch are dirty rotten scoundrels. 

Abusing children and raping taxpayers is NOT exactly the best way to prosperity. These folks are so bad, even Don Meyer, who is notorious for selling snake oil to American’s can spin this one. All he can say is “we are providing care to the underserved”. He says it over and over and over…  If you listened to them, there would be no sex at all, unless you’re raped.

Still doesn’t it make it so. The once “underserved” are the most “overserved” in America when it comes to dental care these days.

I think things may be getting worse for the CSHM, LLC. I know, it’s hard to believe things could get worse-Bankrupt, Congressional Investigations, Corporate Integrity Agreement, and so forth-but they can.

The first few days of the new ownership is probably gonna suck!

According to sources, Met Life and United Concordia/Tricare are canceling their contracts with Small Smiles Dental Centers. 

If true, revenues just went to hell, again. If they couldn’t make it before, they certainly can’t make it now.

PS – If asked to sign some kind of Transition, Separation, Confidential, Severance and General Agreement, in exchange for a week’s pay, I would have an attorney look it over. Personally, unless they removed sections 4, 7, 8, 13 and clarified in writing why it says it’s governed by the state of Tennessee, and why Church Street Health Management is a “Released Party”, I wouldn’t sign it, no way, no how… Just saying…

Oh where, oh where did it go: CSHM’s Press Release

If anyone is looking for CSHM and Small Smiles press release after the media exposed the fact they will be excluded from Medicaid in 30 days, you won’t find it on their website any longer. No need to put out an “All Points Bulletin”, it can be found below.

President and CEO David R. Wilson, released a memo to payors on March 12, it has since disappeared from their website as well. But never fear,it’s still here.

The whole media statement, from start to finish, basically gave the finger to HHS-OIG and every person who has investigated them since 2007; in addition to making highly misleading—if not down right lying—to staff and employees.

Seems their Facebook page has disappeared as well. I imagine they don’t want any comments or questions, don’t you?

Below is the press release.

---

 

CSHM, LLC MEDIA STATEMENT
March 11, 2014

CSHM, LLC & OIG NOTICE OF EXCLUSION

In a letter dated March 7, 2014, CSHM, LLC (“CSHM”) received a notice of exclusion from federal health care programs from the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (OIG). The notice of exclusion does not apply to any individual employee or the Dental Centers and Practice Owners, but to the CSHM, LLC corporate entity only. If the exclusion should go into effect, it means that CSHM may not continue with some or all of its current responsibilities under its Management Service Agreement (MSA) and this may affect administrative services related to Center operations.

The exclusion notice is based on the OIG’s determination that CSHM has violated some terms of the Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) that has been in place for the management company and its predecessors since January 2010. CSHM assumed the CIA in June 2012 and it is well known that it has implemented the CIA provisions within the Centers and generally since that time. Many Center owners and employees have met the Independent Quality Monitor (IQM) and CSHM’s compliance staff over the last 18 months as the company was implementing the CIA’s provisions. Generally, the alleged violations related to certain delayed reporting of a few adverse clinical events, failure to undertake certain training in 2012 before CSHM assumed the CIA, and the omission of two adverse events on the CIA disclosure log, though over 1,200 events were successfully place on the disclosure log for processing.

CSHM believes strongly that it has substantially and in good faith implemented the CIA at a great cost in resources and with the important cooperation of the Centers and its health care professionals, particularly on the enhancing dental clinical standards. The OIG’s proposed determination to exclude CSHM for some non-compliance with its CIA is an unduly harsh and an unprecedented response to expected and common difficulties in implementing a very complex CIA that has a novel and innovative administrative, process and clinical requirements.

CSHM intends to appeal the notice of exclusion and file a request for hearing with the Department Appeals Board. During the appeals process, the exclusion will be stayed and we will continue to provide business, administrative and support services to 53 associated dental centers in 19 states and the District of Columbia, pursuant to our management services agreements. The legal process will take an indeterminate period of time. In the interim, CSHM will continue to perform normal operations and will continue to provide our internal and external constituents with up-to-date information. Should you have questions regarding this matter, please contact a member of our communications team at Lovell Communications:

• Paula Lovell: 615-297-7766 / lovell@lovell.com
• Rosemary Plorin: 615-297-7766 / rosemary@lovell.com
• Perry Hall: 615-297-7766 / perry@lovell.com

---

• Link to original media release - http://smallsmiles.com/PressReleases/MediaResponseStatement_LV_20140312.pdf
• Saved copy-
  http://www.scribd.com/doc/212174183/CSHM-Small-Smiles-Dental-Media-Statement-03-11-2014

***********************

• Link to original payor memo -
  http://smallsmiles.com/PressReleases/CSHM_Payor_Memo_20140312.pdf‎
• Saved copy of payor memo -
  http://www.scribd.com/doc/212466391/David-R-Wilson-President-CEO-of-CSHM-Small-Smiles-Dental-Payor-Letter-03-12-2014

All Smiles Dental Center’s Motion for Bonus Payments Revealed

Transparent as it was, on May 25, 2012, All Smiles Dental petitioned the court to allow for a Management Incentive Bonuses to be paid during bankruptcy procedures. [shaking head]

First they tried to establish the separation of the Professional Corporation and the plain ole Corporation, and the Debtors. Kind of like “church and state” but better. Keep the chart below handy as you follow along.

Debtors – All Smiles Dental Center, Inc. and AS Property Holdings, LLC
Inc. – All Smiles Dental Center, Inc.
PC – All Smiles Dental Professionals, P.C.

 

“Inc, and PC believe that PC must exit the orthodontic practice in an expedited manner”. Inc will help PC do this in a manner consistent with the State Board of Dental Examiners rules. [Doc. 90, paragraph 6]

Debtors are asking that 8 “Key Employees” who are “vital” to the ongoing operations in assisting the PC’s exit the orthodontic business be given a bonus for their outstanding work, just in case they provide some. They argue, since other employees have quit or been fired, these “Great 8” have “asked” to take up the slack.

Debtors claim these 8 have been “efficient in the administration of the Debtor’s estate” and present that any reorganization of the company could not happen without them.

To reward these 8 outstanding people, Neil Minihane, (acting president) devised a “Management Incentive Bonus Plan, at Inc. to reward them for their efforts based on “specifically identifiable milestones”, up to $180,250.00, with installments up to $90,125.00. – [Doc. 90, paragraph 10]

Mr. Minihane believes PC cannot exit the fraudulent [they didn’t say they were fraudulent, of course, I did] orthodontics services without this bonus plan and paying the “Great 8” the proposed bonus is “necessary, reasonable and in the best interest of the Debtor’s estate.”

The plan is to make two payments to the “Great 8”. The first one is when Inc. converts PC over to strictly “general dentistry”. [Stainless Steel Crown manufacturers, gear up!] The payments will be at the discretion of Inc. 

Yes, I think we are understanding this correctly – Inc (debtor) wants to reward Inc (itself) with a bonus, since Inc (itself) has to follow Dental Board rules closing its “fraud” department (orthodontics).

Here is exactly what it says in Doc.90, paragraph 8 :

The Management Incentive Bonus Plan consists of two bonus payments. At the discretion of the Debtors' management, the first bonus payment will be payable upon the Debtors' successful management of PC's exit from orthodontic services. This is a key element to PC being able to shift its practice area to solely general dentistry, and hence, to the Debtors' reorganization into a company only supporting a general dentistry practice. The Debtors, with the critical assistance of the Key Employees, are currently working toward this goal. This includes labor-intensive tasks such as providing staff, record access, and logistics related to the orthodontists' preparation of letters to patients advising of termination of treatment or managing the SBDE professional dismissal process while managing the customer services issues with orthodontic patients and their families. Without the assistance of the Key Employees, PC would not be able to timely and professionally exit the orthodontic practice, resulting in significant additional costs to PC and the Debtors' estates arising from lack of organization and profitability in the orthodontic business at PC.

The second payout Inc wants to pay itself for work it already does, would take place when they Inc. exits the bankruptcy. They say, when PC stops its fraud (orthodontics) practices, the “Great 8” will still be “required in order to complete the myriad of tasks associated with the successful restructuring of PC as a general dentistry practice”. They further stated the Debtors believe they have demonstrated sound business judgment in this process and should be granted their motion for bonuses. [Doc 90, paragraph 20]

The motion stated, Inc will continue to do as it did before they filed bankruptcy – manage PC. By management of PC, Inc listed “properly restructuring the general dentistry practice, along with negotiating and managing the implementation of the Corporate Integrity Agreement contemplated in the State Settlement Agreement.”

Here is exactly what is said in Doc 90, paragraph 9:

At the discretion of the Debtors' management, the second bonus payment will be payable upon the Debtors' successful exit from bankruptcy, as evidenced by this Court's confirmation of a plan of reorganization. After the Debtors facilitate PC's exit from the orthodontic practice, the services of the Key Employees will continue to be required in order to complete the myriad of tasks associated with the successful restructuring of PC as a general dentistry practice managed by Inc. These services include, but are not limited to, removing Inc. personal property, turning over the facilities to the respective landlords, reorganizing the management operations to support the different PC needs, record relocation and organization, identifying and installing processes and procedures associated with the State Settlement Agreement Requirements,4 identifying the executory contracts and leases to be assumed or rejected by the Debtors, developing financial projections, identifying the amount of exit financing necessary, working through the myriad of patient and employee uncertainty issues associated with the bankruptcy process and answering general questions associated with the plan and with the Debtors' business.

The “Great 8” employees of Inc. are:
John Bevill – Operations Director – West (Former District Manger at Kool Smiles)
Esther Castaneda – HR Manager
John Garry – Controller – (Previous with Lending.com – online mortgage broker)
Spring Helser – Doctor Recruiter – (used to work at CVS)
Diana Loft – Facilities Director – (PlainsCapital Bank, now at Chem-Aqua, left AS 7-2012 after 5 years of employment.
Michael Lozich – Chief Compliance Officer – LinkedIn page says he’s at Broadlane, Inc. since 2009, must need updating, here is press release he issued for All Smiles July 27, 2012)
John Morgan – VP of Information Technology – (Formerly Cano Petroleum, started AS in Aug. 2010)
Lisa Mullinix – Operations Director – East – (Former Regional Manager at Small Smiles)

Specifically the Motion told the court that the “…specific amount of the…payment each…will be eligible to receive will be based upon percentage of the …salary ranging from 15% to 25%.” They motioned for the details of the “Great 8” salaries and detail of the Management Incentive Bonus Plan be placed under seal by the court.

They further stated that, “seven of the Key Employees received offer letters upon the commencement of their employment proposing bonus payments consistent with this percentage of their salary. The remaining Key Employee did not receive such an offer letter. This Key Employee will be eligible to be paid a bonus at the low end of the percentage range.”

In other words, these employee were told they would receive bonuses when we hired them, and we still want to hand out bonuses, capeesh, Mr. Judge?

It was a great attempt to extort more money from the bank accounts of All Smiles Dental. However, 11 days later, On June 5, 2012, Inc. withdrew the Motion on June 5, 2012.

Imagine the danger All Smiles currently poses. Regional directors who were given lots of power and leeway from the top two Medicaid dental mills all under the Malouf roof! Shakes me to the core.

Lisa Mullinix was a Regional Director of Operations for Small Smiles Dental Centers. She is the person who came up with the “scripts” distributed to employees to stop parent from accompanying children back into the operatory.

Much more to come on Ms. Mullininx. Stay tuned.

Related:

All Smiles Dental - Motion to Implement Bonus Program for Staff During Bankruptcy Doc 90

Lisa Mullinix's script for office employees

Small Smiles Dental Centers Continue SLAPP’ing Grandma of 9

Demonstrating their ruthless style of business-preying on the most vulnerable of citizens-Church Street Health Management is continuing to SLAPP a Kentucky grandma  for voicing her continued dislike of the company’s business practices,

In 2008 Church Street Heath Management, LLC- then known as FORBA Holdings, LLC- brought a first amendment lawsuit, referred to as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) against one of their many critics.

In January 2010, Church Street Health Management agreed to pay upwards to $30Mil to settle allegations of abusing children, overtreatment and Medicaid Fraud.  CSHM was also forced to sign a “Quality of Care” “Corporate Integrity Agreement” with the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Being the “low hanging fruit”, CSHM and their corporate owners, the Carlyle Group, First Islamic Bank-now known as Arcapita Bank and American Capital Strategies, have once again brought this unrepresented grandmother of 9 back to court in Western Kentucky. 

On October 17, 2011 at 10AM a hearing will be held in Federal Court.  CSHM has motioned the court to find grandma in Contempt of Court; asking the retired grandma to be fined $10,000 and pay an exorbitant amount of legal fees.  In their court pleadings, CSHM mentions possible jail time as a remedy to satisfy their intent to suppress grandma’s 1st Amendment rights to free speech.

CSHM also wants the court to force grandma to reveal the identity of current or former employees with whom she has had contact.  Doubtful it’s to pat any of those person’s on the head for doing such a good job in keeping them honest.

 

November 2008 Original  Complaint - FORBA v Hagan
December 2008 -CSHM's 1st request for Santions  2008(denied)
April 2009 – CSHM’s Motion to Dismiss (granted) 

July 2011 CSHM Motion for Sanctions
July 2011 Declaration of Todd Cruse
July 2011 Memorandum in Support of Sanctions

September 2011 Grandma's Combined Response to CSHM’s Motion for Sanctions and Motion to Dismiss
September 2011 Grandma's Memorandum in support

Church Street Health Management, LLC is located in Nashville, Tennessee at:618 Church St # 520
Nashville, TN 37219-2457
(615) 750-0306

 Members and Officers of the Church Street Health Management, LLC are:

Officers:
Michael Lindley-Chairman & CFO
Rodney Cawood-EVP & Chief Financial Officer
Al J. Smith- President, COO and Secretary

Members:
Dr. Steve Adair
Bret Bero – American Capital.
Scott A. Buschmann – Arcapita Bank
Stockton Croft – Arcapita Bank
Charles L. Griffith – Arcapita Bank
Susan B. Kasser- Carlyle Group
Douglas Kelley – American Capital
Michael G. Lindley – Small Smiles Holding, LLC
William C. Miller, Jr – Arcapita Bank
Al J. Smith – Small Smiles Holding, LLC

 

Arcapita Bank is headquartered in Bahrain, while the Carlyle Group is the third largest private investment group in the world with assets of $150 billion dollars. In March 2008, Carlyle Capital Corporation defaulted on about US$ 16.6 billion of debt as the global credit crunch brought about by the subprime mortgage crisis worsened for leveraged investors. (Wikipedia)

Allison Luke - No longer Chief Compliance Officer at Church Street Health Management

Lorri Steiner has been with Church Street Health Management for a very long time.  I would say at least 4 years, maybe a little longer.

Up until last Friday, April 8, 2011, she has been SVP of Financial Operations.  Currently she is carrying the title of Chief Compliance Officer!

Well, at least she is going into this eyes wide open!  She's been around long enough in the financial operations to know how much they need to make each day and how to get it done.  Now, does she know how to cover it up so that it goes unnoticed?  Time will tell.

Anyone notice Lorri was put into this position just about the same time they were able to land an in house attorney, Erika Ruiz.  I'm sure Lorri and Erika can get the job done.

(By the way, there is NO Erika Ruiz listed at the Tennessee Bar Association.  There is only one Ruiz and it's not Erika when you search the Board of Professional Responsibility here )

What happened to Allison Luke, you ask?  

Allison Luke was hired in November 2008, according to Church Street Health Management's own press release, dated 11-5-2008.

Lately her job has been more of that of "fireman" putting out fires created by Small Smiles dentists, staff and corporate heads who are determined to continue on with their bad ways.  After just over a year into the Corporate Integrity Agreement you would think things would be getting a bit better, well, not so much.

Did she figure out it was a lost cause trying to maintain any kind of "Compliance" with Small Smiles Dental Centers?  

Did she get tired of stretching the truth?  Was she tired of rounding 4.2 percent to 5 when it benefited the companies appearance.  Did she tire of rounding a 3.9 to 3.0 when told to do so?

Well, maybe she will do the right thing now and spill her guts to the OIG.  Keeping crimes a secret kind of makes you guilty doesn't it?  Especially when it's you that writes that quarterly report and you sign it, Allison Luke, SVP of Compliance.

Keeping big secrets and covering up fraud will sure weigh heavy on your mind.

Lorri, do you really know what you are in for here?  Me thinks you are in way over your head and guess whose head will role when the rubber meets the road.  Yours.

Related:

Quality Initiatives Are Rubbish

All Smiles Bankruptcy Initial Creditors List

They simply can’t stay afloat if they are under the watchful eye of a Corporate Integrity Agreement. Which translates into, they can have no integrity and must rely on fraud.

Looks like Richard Malouf,DDS is trying to claim he’s a creditor. That’s because he didn’t take the lump sum option when he sold out to private equity. ROTFLMAO!

Some of these suppliers are gonna be next.... i.e. Henry Schein. They seem to make every list. When you lay with dogs, you're gonna get fleas!

All I’m saying, is if I were a company like Henry Schein, I would be demanding accounts to be paid in full by close of business tomorrow! Extend NO more credit. This is the real dental crisis!  Currently I wouldn’t touch this stock with a ten foot pole! 

Oh, and one last piece of advice, I’ve said on here before but I will say it again.
DO NOT TAKE THE PAYMENT METHOD WHEN YOU SELL TO CRIMINALS. Contrary to popular belief, there is NO honor among thieves. A con artist made that up!

• 2001 East Beltline LLP
• 2009 Strait Lane Family LP
• 2009 Strait Lane Family LP
• 2009 Strait Lane Family LP
• 2009 Strait Lane Family LP
• 8880 Bellaire, L.P.
• 8930 RL Thornton LLC
• Abrams & Baylis LLP
• Acrocom
• ADT Security

• ADT Security Services, Inc.
• Air Gas
• All Smiles Dental Center, Inc.
• Alorica, Inc.
• Aqua Chill of Dallas
• Aqua Chill of Gulf Coast
• ASDC Holdings
• ASDC Holdings, LLC
• Atmos Energy -NWH
• Atmos Energy Corporation
• Best Buy Business Advantage Account
• Bhagat Holdings, LTD
• Biomedical
• BKD LLP

American’s Dental Health is at Risk: The true crisis in dentistry

As Bloomberg reported today, Private Equity is seen as the driving force behind abusive dentistry and Medicaid fraud. Little Isaac Gagnon, is still suffering from night terror from the abuse he endured while he was supposed to be safe at school.

The Fort Worth Star Telegram followed saying Texas taxpayer are getting hosed for unneeded dental procedures which amounts to Medicaid fraud.

Byron Harris of WFAA in Dallas has been reporting about this for months.

However, it is “We The People” who are picking up the tab and enriching Private Equity firms coffers into the billions of dollars. But that is not the biggest price being paid.

The biggest price of all is the dental health of each and every American!

This is not a Medicaid patient only problem. The same driving force is behind places like Heartland, MidWest, Pacific Dental, BrightNow, Aspen Dental, Affordable Dentures, Comfort Dental and now Wal-Mart is getting in on the action. The list goes on.

FORBA Small Smiles Employees CIA Compliance Is Up To You; Includes Warning To Future Employees

ATTN:  All FORBA Small Smiles Employees

ATTN: Potential Employees: This is a must read before you agree to be employed by FORBA or any of its Small Smile clinics.  Full disclosure is a must!

FORBA has entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with the Office Of Inspector General (OIG) after being caught red handed committing fraud and mistreating children.  (not only red handed but on video!)

Of course FORBA admitted no wrong doing as they will be quick to tell you.  However, anyone who would rather pay $24 million dollars plus interest and sign a 67 page set of rules to follow for the next 5 years, is probably guilty in my opinion.

[I would say FORBA was probably thinking this was a deal compared to what might happen if they didn’t agree and further delving into FORBA’s setup would likely reveal much worse things happening, that’s a scary thought isn’t it?]

When push comes to shove, it’s you, the employee on the front lines to see that the provisions in the CIA are followed.  I would highly recommend you download and take time to read the rules since you are the main one playing the game.  It’s your butt out there.  You may not have signed it, but you are as legally bound by this agreement as if...

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).