Showing posts with label Bloomberg Report on Private Equity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bloomberg Report on Private Equity. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Morgan Stanely’s Reachout Healthcare Mobile Dental Clinics continue breaking new rules put in place to protect children from their abuse of children

I realize it’s hard to believe someone, i.e. R. Kirk Huntsman, convinced Morgan Stanley that driving up to schools, sending criminally incompetent dentists and employees inside to zap them with as much radiation as possible, restrain children and perform dental procedures with or without consent, then bill the taxpayer was a great idea. But it happened.

Below is an update on the lawsuit filed by Darren and Stacey Gagnon on behalf of their son, who was traumatized by Reachout Healthcare mobile dental clinic employees in Arizona. Imagine the stuff that was too “hot” to include in the following piece.

WATCH this video!

Don’t forget to comment here and over at My Fox Phoenix here

PHOENIX – December 3, 2012

myfoxphoenixAs we first reported back in June, a mobile dentistry operation is being sued by an Arizona family. They allege their special needs son received unnecessary dental work at school.

Tonight, we revisit the Gagnons, to see how their son Isaac is doing, and update a case that may have already forced the state to make changes in the way dentists do business.

The first time we met the Gagnons, Isaac was kept from our cameras because they might scare him.

This time, we got a chance to watch Isaac color a picture for his friend's birthday party.

Isaac gets night terrors after what happened to him.

"He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder… he was a very fragile emotionally child in the first place," says mom Stacey Gagnon.

Fragile in the first place because Isaac was adopted after surviving severe shaken baby syndrome.

"He was horribly injured as an infant including five skull fractures."

But Isaac had come a long way with the Gagnons.

"We saw this little boy emerge who loved tractor trucks and run and play in the dirt."

That ended about a year ago.

"October 4th, Isaac was seen by a dentist at school," says dad Darren Gagnon.

A dentist from Big Smiles, a part of Reachout Healthcare America, treated Isaac inside his school's art room.

"He says you know the dentist man got me… we didn't know what had happened."

Reachout paperwork in Isaac's backpack showed the boy had been given two pulpotomies - or baby root canals - and 10 X-rays. Something his parents say they never approved. Isaac's mother called Reachout for an explanation.

"They told me it was a training error on their part," says Stacey.

Everything the Gagnons allege is part of this lawsuit they filed against Reachout, Big Smiles, and two dentists.

It alleges among other things, battery, fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress and racketeering.

"We found out from the school they had actually held Isaac down for somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 to 45 minutes, that they physically restrained him to do the work on him because obviously he was in a lot of pain," says Darren.

The two dentists named in the lawsuit include Doctor Ralph Green who works at Reachout Corporate offices in north Phoenix -- and Doctor Alvin J. Coon, who performed the work on Isaac.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Can someone be paid to be a jumping up and down idiot? Yes! Here’s proof.

If Pigs Could Fly And Dental Professionals Could Be Turned Bad By Private Equity Investment
Thomas A. Climo

Thomas Aaron Climo - facebook pic 09202012A NONSENSE ARGUMENT MORE IN TUNE WITH LOBBYING THAN COMMON SENSE
On May 30, 2012, DrBicuspid.com provided an article written by Donna Domino, features editor. It was titled “Private equity firms eye big profits in dentistry.” Ms. Domino was the second journalist to reach out to me that month. The first was Sydney Freedberg of Bloomsberg, whose piece was “Dental abuse seen driven by private equity investments” on May 16.

Both journalists were nice, courteous, and consummate professionals. I want to make clear that although I believe I was very helpful in providing them with data and insight from my consulting of both group and solo dental practices, I did not say one negative word about private equity investment into dentistry.

A third journalist, Josh Kosman of the New York Post, will confirm this, even though he also wrote an article with the provocative title that replaced an “S” with a “$” entitled “Private equity firms $ink teeth into dentistry,” published August 27, 2010.

The exaggerations contained in all three articles tying private equity investment to bad dentistry are only anecdotal, and not supported by serious statistical numbers.

But…but…but “Equivalent PhD, Climo, you said, and I’ll quote:

“…private-equity firms are likely to work dentists longer once they take over practices to boost profits and that could lead to worse service.”

 

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Inside Edition airs the Isaac Gagnon story and the dangers of mobile dental clinics.

 

msMorgan Stanley, the true backers of ReachOut Healthcare America and their nasty mobile dental dungeons have been on this site several times the last few days. So has their PR people. Are they worried?

Shocked is more like it. I’m told their attorney’s about flipped, when they saw their RHAemployee, Dr. Alvin Coon, DDS attempt to hit the reporter with his car. I guess someone failed to mention that to them. Wonder what other surprises are in store.

Features the parents of little Isaac and the nightmares which haunt him; the mean dentist who “got” Isaac - Dr. Alvin Coon attempting to run over the reporter: and an Interview with the Gagnon family’s attorney, James Moriarty.

If you have inside information, are an ex-employee - like the one in this story- who wants to stop this child abuse or a parent whose child has suffered at the hands of these Mobile Dental vans, please email me. Surely we can stop this child abuse together.

Here is Inside Edition’s report:

INSIDE EDITION Investigates Mobile Dentistry
Aired September 11, 2012

Inside EditionIt sounds like a good idea - mobile dentists sent to schools to provide dental care for needy children in classrooms and school parking lots. But some families are now crying foul, saying their kids were harmed by dentists drilling for dollars.

 
Darren and Stacey Gagnon say their four-year-old son Isaac was given two baby root canals and two steel crowns by a dentist bigsmilesscheduled to visit Isaac’s school after the school contracted with a company called ReachOut Healthcare America.

What’s worse, say the Gagnon’s, is that the dentist, Dr. Alvin Coon (who they never met) performed the operations without their consent in of all places - the school’ art room in Camp Verde, AZ.


“I couldn’t believe that they were doing these procedures in a classroom,” said Stacy Gagnon.


She also says Isaac was never given any anesthetic or medication to numb the pain.

 

Sunday, September 02, 2012

Dental care in America: A study in austerity, neglect and profiteering

 

Dental care in America: A study in austerity, neglect and profiteering

By Gary Joad
1 September 2012

A Frontline production on the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) aired in June documented the painful and ill experiences of millions of working class families and their children, the disabled and poor, and retired persons as they seek dental care in the United States.

In the opening scene of “Dollars and Dentists,” hundreds of people with jaw and tooth pain form long lines in the early morning freezing rain of southern Virginia, seeking relief from a volunteer dental clinic. Most patients declare on camera that they are often too sick and sore to eat, and that they are compelled to live with pain every hour of their lives.

As the clinic’s Dr. Terry Dickenson states at the program’s beginning, “Gas, food, and rent compete with dental care for the dollars these persons have.”

Washington, D.C. resident Vanessa Nations, 31, reported that she had been significantly ill with dental and gum infections for many years, until her problems became so severe that she needed all her teeth extracted. She commented, “I feel like little bits of poison are killing me.”

She could not eat sufficiently, and therefore could not maintain a normal weight. Virtually all her teeth were chipped, broken off, and discolored. Poignantly, she brought a smiling teenage photo of herself to show the dentists how she wanted to look again, as they planned the removal of her ruined teeth and the manufacture of her dentures.

Monday, August 13, 2012

ReachOut Healthcare America–Big Smiles Mobile Dental Clinics are a danger to public health! Another example!

 

ReachOut Healthcare America under fire again. When will those who can, do something?

Though no name of the company operating the mobile dental clinic is mention, it is ReachOut Healthcare America, based in Farmington, MI.

ReachOut Healthcare America is under investigation by Senator Charles Grassley’s office. (see letters Sen. Grassley has sent to ReachOut on the right)

If you work or have worked for ReachOut Healthcare America and do nothing to protect people like Andrew in this story, or little Isaac in Arizona it’s your duty to speak out. Please do so, everyday children, the handicapped and the elderly are being abused! Do something! I beg of you!

To WOOD – TV News 8:

What was the point of this story by WOOD-TV News 8 if they wouldn’t mention the name of the company?  Why did News 8 leave the investigation of this company out of the story? It’s your duty as well to warn the public that a company owned by Morgan Stanley is doing this to the most vulnerable people in America.

If I weren’t posting the name, right here, right now, no one would have a clue what company did this to Andrew. For God’s sake people, wake the hell up, get off your butts and speak up!

Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Small Smiles Dental Changing It’s Ways… HA! –that’s what they said the last time they changed their name, and the time before that and the time before that…

Small Smiles is saying it’s changed it’s ways, I beg to differ, since we’ve heard that before…several times. This company has been under the watchful eye of government regulators since 2007, when the investigation first began. Can you get your head around the fact they have not changed their ways in 5 years!!!!
It’s changed it’s name a few times, but not it’s ways!
Struggling dental chain looks to mend its ways
By Rob Goszkowski, Assistant Editor
July 4, 2012 -- Church Street Health Management, a private-equity-backed company managing 63 dental centers under various "Smiles" brands in 21 U.S. states, has emerged from bankruptcy with new owners, a new identity, and a new strategy for staying in the dental game.
Now going by the moniker CSHM, the company has a history of legal problems that forced it to file for bankruptcy earlier this year and prompted additional federal scrutiny.
For example, in January 2010, while still known as Forba Holdings, the company paid $24 million plus interest to settle allegations of Medicaid fraud with 22 states and the U.S. Department of Justice. The fine resulted in part from a policy of "converting" patients, whereby dentists were systematically urged to perform additional procedures and the number of procedures performed was tracked.
Read the rest over on Dr. Bicuspid

Friday, June 29, 2012

Bloomberg reports on Private Equity Dental Chains thus far in 2012

 

bloomberglogo To READ:
by Sydney Freedberg - sfreedberg@bloomberg.net.
  • Dental Abuse of U.S. Poor Dodges Ejection from MedicaidJune 26, 2012
    The latest from Bloomberg demonstrates how the OIG is still turning it’s head to the child abuse for fraud, at Small Smiles Dental Centers. This one is outrageous. They ask CSHM to put the clinic in the name of a third party. Well, according to CSHM sworn testimony on numerous occasions, by various Small Smiles Executives they don’t own the clinics. Their mantra is that they only manage them for already third party dentists. The take away is  that the OIG. HHS and DOJ are fully aware (how could they not be) that the true owners of these houses of horrors is CSHM and it’s Private Equity backers. They must simply give them a wink and a nod to falsifying documents, committing fraud, and perjury, just to name a few illegal acts. These would land you or I in jail, by the way.  I don’t know what else a person could think. Do you?

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Bloomberg article on private equity firms abusing children with unnecessary and intrusive dental treatment has spurred several articles on the web

Here are some highlights:
Bloomberg – Business Week

Deal Book – New York Times:


San Fransisco Chronicle


BoingBoing 40 comments or more:


Compliance Search

 

Physicians for National Health Program

 

Global Post

 

Watchdog Bytes

Huffington Post

 

Meta Filter

 


Weblog

Protect Quality Dental Care


Bangor Maine Daily News:

Charleston Daily Mail

Democratic Underground

Summary of Twitter links:

 

Happy Birthday to me… Happy Birthday to me….

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Private equity, profits and aggressive dentistry

 

Global Post

Bloomberg has published an article today that you just have to read.

It starts with a mom in Arizona picking up her (sobbing) 4 year old after school, only to learn that a dentist had installed steel crowns on two of his back teeth — "pulpotomies" according to a note in his backpack. Baby root canals.

The mother hadn't even been consulted. "I was absolutely horrified," she said.

No, this wasn't Marathon Man for toddlers. So why this aggressive act of dentistry?

It was about money. Profits. Private equity. And a new plague known as "dental abuse."

Bloomberg explains:

Isaac’s dentist was dispatched to his school by ReachOut Healthcare America, a dental management services company that’s in the portfolio of Morgan Stanley Private Equity, operates in 22 states and has dealt with 1.5 million patients. Management companies are at the center of a US Senate inquiry, and audits, investigations and civil actions in six states over allegations of unnecessary procedures, low-quality treatment and the unlicensed practice of dentistry.

ReachOut, Bloomberg reports, is one of just 25 dental management services "bought or backed by private-equity firms in the last decade." The management services take care of the business side, leaving the dentists to focus on teeth. The trouble started when the profit-driven businesses began seeing opportunity in your tax dollars: Medicaid.

Maybe that's why there's a big cavity in the US government's budget?

A former physician once counseled me that dentists were "a bunch of crooks, out to get rich." At the time, I took that with a grain of salt. Thanks to Bloomberg, I won't even floss without exercising caution.

Click here, and read on

And if there's a dentist nearby, keep your mouth closed. 

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.

It’s not just Texas taxpayers, it’s ALL taxpayers

Texas taxpayers soaked for unneeded dental work

Speaking of Texas teeth, combine devious dentists with dubious private equity firms and what do you get?  

Soaked taxpayers it seems, Bloomberg reports.  

Some private equity firms have figured ways to overcharge Medicaid for dental work, and Texas seems to be a hotbed. The Texas State Board of Dental Examiners is investigating dozens of cases where dentists billed Medicaid for unneeded work or for services they didn't do. A Dallas orthodontist who reviewed Medicaid dental claims for the state told Congress that fraud in Texas is flagrant and that some dental clinics engaged in the illegal practice of dentistry.

Don't credit the state for uncovering the scandal. A series of exposes by Byron Harris of WFAA revealed little oversight of the state Medicaid program. He reported that more than 20,000 Texas children under age 12 received braces in a year's time. One clinic billed Texas Medicaid more than the whole state of Illinois spent on Medicaid dental care.

Chew on that a while if you wonder whether Texas state government is keeping a close watch on spending your tax dollars. 

Read more here: http://blogs.star-telegram.com/investigations/2012/05/speaking-of-texas-teeth-combine-devious-dentists-with-dubious-private-equity-firms-and-what-do-you-get-soaked-taxpayers-ac.html#storylink=cpy

Bloomberg reports rats out Private Equity dental abuses on children in public schools and the public at large

Bloomberg report

Special needs child taken from class and received root canals, stainless steel crowns and excessive X-rays without parents consent or knowledge, while his brother was next to him hearing his screams of pain and fear. 

Dr. Alvin Coon working for ReachOut Healthcare America's Big Smile mobile dental program deliver the horrifying treatment and could be headed to jail. Just two weeks ago a child in California had 4 teeth pulled while at school by the same company.  The company is under investigation in AZ and CA.

Read the shocking story here at Bloomberg

 

Want to see what happens to these children? Watch this!

http://bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-17/dental-abuse-seen-driven-by-private-equity-investments.html

As an after dinner liqueur I suggest this – April 30, 2012

Big Corporations Pony Up Over $1 Million To Oppose Senate Bill 655 in Legislature