A former Houston dentist was formally charged Monday with failing to properly treat a sedated 4-year-old patient who was left with permanent brain damage in what should have been a routine procedure. Bethaniel Jefferson, 40, who lost her license to practice in Texas in November, was indicted by a Harris County grand jury on a felony charge of causing serious bodily injury to … [Read more...]
Medicaid Media
Man arrested for doing dental procedures without license
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – A man is behind bars in Virginia Beach, accused of doing illegal dental procedures in Virginia Beach. Prosecutors say 54-year-old Carlos Vargas has been on the run for the last two years. He was wanted for doing alleged invasive dental procedures in back in 2012 and 2013. Prosecutors say he was doing the procedures out of his home and in North … [Read more...]
Obamacare and Medicaid specialist Molina Healthcare to cut about 1,400 jobs
Molina Healthcare, a health insurer that specializes in the Obamacare and Medicaid healthcare programs for low-income and poor people, plans to cut about 1,400 jobs in the next few months, according to an internal company memo reviewed by Reuters. Molina's decision comes after it reported a first-quarter loss related to the individual plans created under former Democratic … [Read more...]
Medicaid providers say state health department putting unfair share of cuts on them
In an attempt to adapt to significant budget cuts, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services is proposing to reduce reimbursements to doctors and others who treat patients on Medicaid by nearly 3.5 percent. Providers say that cut is too severe and an unfair way for the department to put the burden of belt-tightening disproportionately on them. Source: … [Read more...]
Our view: As local case shows, Medicare fraud is always bigger than it seems
Medicare is the federal health-insurance program for people 65 or older and certain people with disabilities. Beneficiaries love the program and depend on it, and so do a large and unknown number of criminals and scam artists. Earlier this month, federal prosecutors announced the settlement of a Medicare fraud case involving a Pennsylvania hospice firm with a location in … [Read more...]
House GOP budget partially privatizes Medicare, slashes Medicaid
WASHINGTON – Now that Senate Republicans have failed in their attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare and cut Medicaid, House Republicans are pushing a budget that aims to do all that and then some. Their budget proposal partially privatizes Medicare and deeply cuts social programs such as food stamps. While it is a nonbinding guide for future congressional action, the … [Read more...]
Senate Health Care Bill Could Be Greatest Entitlement Reform in a Generation
The Senate health care bill (the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017) would fundamentally reform federal Medicaid payment. As Washington Post columnist George Will has written, the bill’s Medicaid provisions, as crafted by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Penn., “makes it this century’s most significant domestic policy reform.” Will is correct. Medicaid financing needs reform. … [Read more...]
Mass. adds new Delta Dental plan despite concern
July 19, 2017 -- The Massachusetts Division of Insurance (DOI) has approved a new low-cost preferred provider organization (PPO) plan from Delta Dental of Massachusetts, despite concerns from the state's dental society. In response, the Massachusetts Dental Society has petitioned for a hearing on the plan, and the DOI is assembling a three-person review board. Delta … [Read more...]
Stepdaughter of Texas doctor accused in seven overdose deaths found dead in creek
The body of a teenage girl found in a Texas park is the stepdaughter of a doctor recently charged in at least seven overdose deaths, police said. The medical examiner identified a body found floating in a creek at Blair Park on Sunday as 17-year-old Mikayla Mitchell, Dallas Police told WFAA. Her stepfather, Howard Diamond, was arrested earlier this month on charges … [Read more...]
Austin dentist in toddler death sues Nancy Grace, other media outlets
An Austin dentist whose 14-month-old patient died after being put under anesthesia in 2016 is suing multiple national media outlets and broadcast personalities, including Nancy Grace, over their reports of the case. In the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Travis County state district court, Dr. Michael Melanson says the media outlets committed libel and slander by broadcasting and … [Read more...]
