TSBDE July Newsletter
TDMR received the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners July PDF newsletter this week. It contains the rule changes adopted by the board at their June 5 meeting and other important information. … [Read More...]
Should Lawyers Be Allowed to Donate to a Judge’s Election Campaign When They Have a Case Before Their Court?
After our article on the Lafountain TMFPA case and the allegations of Medicaid fraud against 71 dentists and dental entities the relator had never worked for, TDMR received a copy of an invitation to a political fundraising reception that was held back in February in Dallas where the case is being played out. The reception was held at the law … [Read More...]
Court Asked to Dismiss TMFPA Case and Sanction Whistleblower and His Lawyers
Lawyers for one of the defendant dentists in the Lafountain TMFPA lawsuit filed a motion June 1 asking the Dallas County district court judge presiding over the case to dismiss it and sanction the whistleblower and his lawyers for bringing a “groundless, brought in bad faith and for the purpose of harassment” lawsuit per the court document. Relator … [Read More...]
OAG Says TMFPA Relators Don’t Need Knowledge of Provider Wrongdoing
Medicaid providers might be forgiven for thinking that the Texas government has provided legal protections against frivolous or vengeful TMFPA lawsuits. These are cases in which the relator files a TMFPA lawsuit for a disingenuous purpose other than exposing Medicaid fraud, for example, to harass a provider into a settlement. No protections for … [Read More...]
As coronavirus hits Texas, the state’s top health official is spending 30 hours a week on a second job — that pays $600,000
Acting Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Phil Wilson. Photo credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune By Shannon Najmabadi, Texas Tribune June 2, 2020 The acting head of Texas’ massive health and human services bureaucracy, who is leading a 36,600 employee agency during a global pandemic, is also working a second job as the … [Read More...]
Legal Case Highlights Danger of Expensive, Opportunistic TMFPA Lawsuits
A legal case against 71 Medicaid dental entities and dentists brought by a single, former dental employee who never worked in any of their offices highlights the tremendous potential for abuse that apparently can happen under the current provisions of the Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act (TMFPA). Good purpose of TMFPA subverted It seems the good … [Read More...]
Incorrectly Billed $68 Fee Led to $12 Million Malouf Judgment, Not Medically Unnecessary Treatment
More information has surfaced regarding the almost $12 million summary judgment recently obtained against Dallas orthodontist Dr. Richard Malouf by the Office of the Attorney General for his practice's Medicaid billings from 2007 to 2011. Background For the record, Dr. Malouf founded All Smiles Dental Centers in 2002 and expanded the practice to … [Read More...]
Judge Orders Dr. Richard Malouf to Pay Texas Back $12 Million for Medicaid Fraud
The Attorney General of Texas Ken Paxton sent out a press release Thursday that a Travis County judge had issued a summary judgment ordering Dr. Richard Malouf of Dallas to pay Texas back some $12 million for Medicaid fraud. The court order is available below. Allegations started back in 2011 about Medicaid orthodontia If y'all remember back, Dr. … [Read More...]
TSBDE Clarifies “Substantial Equivalent” for N-95 and KN-95 Masks
This clarification is now on the TSBDE website. In the interest of patient and DHCP safety, TSBDE would like to clarify 22 TAC Section … [Read More...]
New HHSC Acting Executive Commissioner and Medicaid Director
TDMR received a notification from HHSC today that a new Medicaid director had been named. However, it mentioned that there was a new Acting Executive … [Read More...]
UPDATE: TSBDE Rule Adopted This Afternoon For Opening Dental Offices May 1
UPDATE, May 1: TDA added a release to their website last night. This is now below. After having their proposed rule and guidelines … [Read More...]
UPDATE: San Antonio Dentist Starts Petition to Allow Texas Dentists to use Teledentistry to Screen and Triage Patients
UPDATE: May 1: KXAN Austin has done a story on the petition drive. There are now over 3,200 signatures on the petition. “We have never prevented … [Read More...]
TSBDE to Meet Tomorrow Morning On COVID 19 Re-Opening Rules
The TSBDE Board is meeting virtually tomorrow morning at 9:30 am to finalize rules relating to Governor Abbott's new executive order GA 19 that allows … [Read More...]
UPDATE: TDA Says Governor Approved Dental Practices to Open May 1
UPDATE: The TDA added a release to its website on the Governor's announcement. URGENT ALERT: Governor Abbott Announces Plans to Reopen Texas’ Dental … [Read More...]
Over 40 House Members Write Governor to Support Opening Dental Offices
We found the following letter on the Texas Dental Association website. … [Read More...]
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to let restaurants, movie theaters and malls open with limited capacity May 1
Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday said he will let the state’s stay-at-home order expire at the end of the month, and allow businesses to begin opening in … [Read More...]
“Each Dentist Must Use His or Her Own Expertise and Judgment to Review Each Situation on a Case-by-Case Basis”
TDMR has received the following advice for Texas dentists from Dr. Carlos Cruz, former president of the Rio Grande Valley Dental Society. He has … [Read More...]
