The Minnesota Dental Association (MDA) successfully led a legislative effort to expand the adult dental Medicaid benefit set. The legislation, included in the 2023 Health and Human Services Omnibus, was signed by Governor Walz today. For the first time since … Read More
Every week, hygienist Joanne Puente sees patients at the People’s Health & Wellness Clinic in Barre who have not seen a dentist in years and come to her with severe tooth decay. They are newly in recovery from opioid abuse … Read More
In an unprecedented move, a Texas House committee voted Thursday to recommend that Attorney General Ken Paxton be impeached and removed from office, citing 20 accusations that include bribery, retaliating against whistleblowers and obstruction of justice. Around 8 p.m., the … Read More
Tech staffing firm Accenture is laying off more than 500 employees in Austin amid a wider wave of cuts by technology employers. Accenture, an Irish-American contract firm focused on information technology services and consulting, is considered one of Austin’s largest … Read More
During the second quarter of fiscal year 2023, the OIG’s Medicaid Provider Field Investigations (PFI) team reviewed dental providers exhibiting billing practices that could indicate fraud, waste or abuse. Recent investigations have identified billing trends that indicate some providers are … Read More
The ADA wrote U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, D-NJ, to thank him for the introduction of the Dental Care for Our Troops Act, which would improve the oral health of servicemembers and aid in military readiness. In the May 15 letter, … Read More
ack Massarsky, 65, was sentenced to two years in federal prison and three years of probation earlier this week, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. He pleaded guilty to mail fraud and wire fraud in January. Massarsky worked as a … Read More
NEW YORK – Conduent State and Local Solutions, Inc., a business services provider that operates the New York E-ZPass toll collection system, and Broadleaf Results, Inc., an employment agency, will collectively pay $120,000 and furnish other relief to settle a … Read More
Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) has unveiled measures to narrow in on a fraudulent Medicaid scam targeting Native Americans through billing for outpatient health services to alleged criminal activity. The Hobbs administration was joined by 13 representatives from indigenous tribes and … Read More
(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today reached a $150,000 settlement with Compassionate Counseling Services in Rockingham to resolve allegations that the company submitted false claims to the North Carolina Medicaid program. The settlement funds will be returned to the program. … Read More
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Free dental care is being offered to uninsured or underinsured children and their families. Pinova Dental & Braces will participate in the annual Sharing Smiles Day Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The office … Read More
Texas is one of 10 states without expanded Medicaid. An additional 1.4 million uninsured, non-elderly adults could get insurance if Texas expanded its Medicaid eligibility requirements. Source: ‘Political football’: Texas among 10 states without expanded Medicaid / yahoo! news
AUSTIN – Attorney General Paxton’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit successfully secured a conviction against Patrick Osemwengie, of Richmond, Texas, in a Houston federal court. Osemwengie played a supporting role as part of a larger home health conspiracy that resulted in … Read More
DALLAS – The Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Community Partner Program, in partnership with Feeding Texas and North Texas Food Bank, is hosting a community event in Dallas to help Texans with their Medicaid renewals. Staff will be available … Read More
A federal grand jury has handed up indictments accusing former executives and two others of taking part in a series of schemes to defraud the Sharon-based non-profit Primary Health Network out of more than $2,000,000 through sham contracts, inflated bids, … Read More
The UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry ranked first in Texas and 7th nationally in National Institutes of Health research funding among 71 accredited dental schools during the federal fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2022, according to the Blue … Read More
COOK COUNTY – A husband-and-wife team, along with a Chicago social worker, have been indicted for allegedly scheming to defraud Medicare of over $1.16 million. Calumet City residents Richard W. Pitts, 67, and Tammie J. Pitts, 53, owners of the … Read More
Two therapists have been arrested after authorities say they defrauded Florida’s Medicaid program out of more than $76,000. Paola Maria Ewing, also known as Paola Granados, and Ingrid Garcia are accused of swindling the program to pay for psycho-social rehabilitation … Read More
A great smile and good oral care can be a sign of health. And especially for older adults, a healthy smile can improve well-being by boosting their self-esteem and giving them the confidence to engage socially. A new dental fund … Read More
As per a May 5 article from the Laredo Morning Times, a lady in Texas was detained for performing dental work lacking a license. Esthela Guzman Hernandez was detained by Laredo police when they learned that she had performed a … Read More
BAY CITY, MI — Four years ago, a federal grand jury indicted a Bay City vascular surgeon on charges that he was running a multimillion-dollar healthcare fraud scheme. Freshly sentenced to prison, the doctor must also repay the colossal sum … Read More
A woman was arrested for practicing dentistry out of an apartment without a license, according to the Laredo Police Department. Esthela Guzman Hernandez was arrested on Thursday. She was detained at an international bridge and remanded to Webb County Jail … Read More
The ADA Council on Ethics, Bylaws and Judicial Affairs launched its second season April 17 of its podcast “Dental Dilemmas” that shines a spotlight on ethics in dentistry. Available on the Spotify, Apple, Amazon and Google podcast platforms, the podcast … Read More
NORWICH — The Dental Task Force is a United Way initiative. It’s a partnership with a lot of people bringing oral health to local communities. Members include The Planning Department and Public Health collaborate, Fidelis, and partnered Chenango Health Network. … Read More
(CBS DETROIT) – Five people from Michigan and Arizona are being charged in connection with a fraud scheme to embezzle more than $11 million from Medicare, the US law firm announced. Officials say a second indictment has charged 54-year-old Mohamed … Read More
A Michigan podiatrist was sentenced to seven years in prison for orchestrating a healthcare fraud conspiracy that resulted in almost $2 million in false and fraudulent claims being submitted to Medicare and for falsifying records and identity theft. Dr. Kenneth … Read More
(The Center Square) – A Dearborn Heights doctor pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicare of more than $925,000 in health care payments, U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison says. Fares Yasin, 59, pleaded guilty before Judge Stephen J. Murphy III in U.S. … Read More
Dentistry and its workforce shortage were highlighted April 19 during a hearing held by the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee. The hearing, “Examining Existing Federal Health Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care,” included the … Read More
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Advertisements for Texas Medicaid have been spotted on the backs of public buses in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and images of the ads have shown up on Twitter. The ads are real, but they got there by mistake, said … Read More
SPRINGDALE, Arkansas — Northwest Health has reached a settlement with the Arkansas Attorney General’s office after an investigation found evidence claiming Dr. Brian Hyatt, former head of the behavioral unit in Springdale, had committed extensive Medicaid fraud. Dr. Hyatt stepped … Read More
New Yorkers now have one more thing to smile about. A historic settlement announced Monday will greatly expand dental coverage to New Yorkers with Medicaid, making it easier to afford crowns, root canals, dentures and routine preventative care. The Legal … Read More
Only 21.9 percent of dentists in Florida are enrolled as Medicaid providers, according to a survey of dentists conducted by the state Department of Health. Inadequate reimbursement is the main reason most Florida dentists are not Medicaid providers, according to … Read More
A New Jersey doctor has admitted participating in a health care fraud scheme to defraud Amtrak. U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger’s office says on Wednesday, 50-year-old Muhammad Mirza of Cedar Grove, Essex County, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to … Read More
STRATFORD, CT — A Stratford doctor has been sentenced to four years in prison in connection with health care fraud and illegal kickback offenses, according to officials. Ananthakumar Thillainathan, MD, 45, of Stratford, was also sentenced Thursday to three years … Read More
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — A Hartford woman must pay $140,000 in restitution for defrauding Medicaid, according to an announcement Thursday from the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice. Alicia M. Thompkins, 42, has pleaded guilty to one count of health insurance … Read More
TSDALE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — The Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners confirmed on Thursday that Dr. Daniel Gold self-reported his felony charges related to fraud, burglary, and identity theft to the board. Since these felonies are just charges and … Read More
Disgraced former Arkansas state Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, who was implicated in a Medicaid fraud investigation, was sentenced to an additional 50 months in prison in federal court on Tuesday, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports. The son of former U.S. senator Tim … Read More
The ADA sent out an action alert April 25 asking members to request Congress’s support of efforts to improve adult access to Medicaid dental benefits. Members of the House of Representatives are being asked to cosponsor HR 1342, the Medicaid … Read More
PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA — A Plymouth Meeting-based medical supply filed some $5.3 million in false claims to federal programs for respiratory devices that patients did not require, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. AdaptHealth, formerly known as QMES and headquartered … Read More
The United States and the State of Rhode Island announced Monday that they have intervened in a civil lawsuit against Journey to Hope, Health, and Healing, Inc. and its then-CEO, Kenneth L. Richardson, Jr., filing a complaint alleging that these … Read More
