WHY WE DID THIS STUDY Medicaid is the primary source of dental coverage for children in low-income families and provides access to dental care for approximately 37 million children. However, access to dental care for children with Medicaid has been … Read More
WICHITA FALLS, TX – (KAUZ) -When it comes to dentists in Texas there is more than 254 areas in the state where dental care is scarce, and according to The Texas Department of State Health Services smaller markets are being … Read More
NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced a $47 million settlement with CenterLight Healthcare and CenterLight Health System, resolving allegations that CenterLight Healthcare’s Select Medicaid Managed Long Term Care Plan (“MLTCP”) fraudulently billed Medicaid for services they … Read More
A Dallas-area woman must serve nearly five years in federal prison in a Medicaid scam over false claims using the names of legitimate counselors. Brenda Ward of Cedar Hill was sentenced Friday in Dallas. The 48-year-old Ward in July pleaded … Read More
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Dr. Howard S. Schneider, the pediatric dentist who faced allegations of mistreatment of pediatric patients, will have a new judge in his Medicaid fraud case. Judge Angela Cox has taken over the case after Judge Mark Hulsey … Read More
A state employee has been put on probation after a three-month internal investigation found that she had tried to secure a job for her daughter with a potential vendor. Jean Garcia, a technology service manager for the state’s Health and … Read More
After three decades in public life, including 14 years as governor, Rick Perry, private citizen, has registered as a lobbyist in Florida representing a dental benefits management firm whose top brass were the biggest contributors to his second failed presidential … Read More
A year out of office, former Gov. Rick Perryhas a new job: chief strategy officer at MCNA Dental, the largest privatively held dental insurance company in the country, according to a spokesman for Perry. The Florida-based insurer does business in … Read More
ROCHESTER—Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the sentencing of Schmeka Morgan, a licensed practical nurse who stole $8,838 from the Medicaid program. Morgan, who provided private nursing services to a special needs young adult, was charged with billing for numerous hours … Read More
Research and Statistics If you use assistive technology, such as a screen reader, but are unable to read the information in these reports, please e-mail the webmaster to request an alternate format. CHIP and Medicaid Children’s Health Coverage (XLS) Texas … Read More
6) Bad Deals – Another session, another agency in scandal, another chief forced out. This time it was Health and Human Services Commissioner (and former state senator) Kyle Janek, plus his chief counsel (and former Travis County state rep) Jack … Read More
If you were in Amarillo the afternoon of Dec. 10, Trinity Fellowship Ministries was the place to be. As temperatures warmed outside, more than 80 people made their way into the Student Ministries Center Auditorium, each contemplating their chance to … Read More
A reasonable person would not question the righteousness of the mission, which is rooting out fraud and fighting crime. Yet it’s not unreasonable to ask whether so many Texas Attorney General’s Office investigators need assault-style rifles, handguns and tactical gear … Read More
Outside of the Department of Public Safety, there are 819 commissioned police working in 16 bureaucracies across the state, according to Texas Commission on Law Enforcement data obtained through the state’s open-records law. The attorney general accounts for more than … Read More
AUSTIN — During his 14 years as Texas’ top lawyer, Greg Abbott oversaw a significant — and expensive — escalation of police and firepower in the attorney general’s office, which now boasts 160 cops and an arsenal of assault rifles, … Read More
WASHINGTON—The co-owners of a home health company in Dallas and two nurse employees were charged in an indictment unsealed yesterday for their alleged participation in a $13.4 million health care fraud scheme involving fraudulent claims for home health services. Assistant … Read More
PLANO, TX—A Denton County, Texas, nurse has been convicted of 9 counts of health care fraud in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today. Florence Kroma a/k/a Florence Kamara a/k/a Florence Koroma a/k/a Florence Bangura, … Read More
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) knew as far back as 2008 that certain Medicare Advantage plans were pocketing billions in overpayments, but officials still held back on auditing the plans and recouping payments tied to inflated risk … Read More
SOUTHINGTON – State officials have reached a settlement with a local dentist accused of defrauding Medicaid. The Attorney General’s office announced Monday that Dr. Thomas DeRienzo, owner of Plantsville Family Dental, will pay $55,000 to resolve the False Claims Act … Read More
In the latest government blow against rampant Medicare fraud, two doctors and a registered nurse in New Orleans were given stiff prison sentences and millions of dollars in fines this week in federal court for their roles in a long-term $50 … Read More
Texas has violated the constitutional rights of foster children by exposing them to an unreasonable risk of harm in a system where children “often age out of care more damaged than when they entered,” a federal judge ruled Thursday. “Years … Read More
HHS says few states have taken it up on an offer to receive federal funding for data-mining, which would allow their Medicaid fraud units to search claims. States say they don’t need it, even though the improper payment rate has … Read More
Chris Traylor, executive commissioner of the state Health and Human Services Commission, said Tuesday that the state is not cutting off resettlement monies for non-profit agencies involved in the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Texas over the objection of Gov. … Read More
AUSTIN — A court hearing set for Monday about the effort by Texas to halt Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood has been canceled because state officials have not yet actually kicked the organization out of the program.Health inspector general Stuart … Read More
December 14, 2015 — When it comes to oral health in the U.S., it’s easy to focus on the work that still needs to be done. However, a hefty new ADA Health Policy Institute (HPI) report details a promising trend … Read More
December 10, 2015 — Eighty-five Texas dental patients have died since 2010, according to an investigative report by the Dallas Morning News published December 10.The report also estimates that about 1,000 people have died nationwide following dental procedures.”Deadly Dentistry” is … Read More
Almost two months after Gov. Greg Abbott praised state health officials for moving decisively to drop Planned Parenthood as a Medicaid health-care provider, the organization is still seeing patients and being reimbursed under the program.State health officials have not yet … Read More
AUSTIN — House budget writers held a four-hour hearing Thursday on a long-running procurement mess at the state attorney general’s office. Guess who completely escaped mention? Gov. Greg Abbott, that’s who. That was curious because Abbott was attorney general for … Read More
A 4-year-old Dallas boy goes to get cavities fixed — and is drugged to death. First they drugged him. Then they sent Mom to the waiting room. Then they strapped his torso and wrists to a padded board. But Junior … Read More
ROCHESTER – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the arrest and guilty plea of Erica Viverette, a Rochester licensed practical nurse employed to provide private nursing services to a special needs young adult, for stealing nearly $5,000 from the … Read More
The U.S. government has recovered $1.9 billion from companies and individuals in the healthcare industry through False Claims Act cases in the fiscal year ending Sep. 30, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.The healthcare industry accounted for the bulk of … Read More
I wanted to bring to your attention my recent experience at one of your offices. As a fellow business owner, I would want to know when one of my customers had a bad experience since transparency and feedback are great … Read More
AUSTIN — Attorney General Ken Paxton has removed 11 technology contractors who were working on a problem-plagued upgrade to the state’s child-support data system.The shakeup comes as House members are set next week to begin an investigation into how the … Read More
HOUSTON – Regent Management Services L.P. has agreed to pay approximately $3.199 million to settle allegations that it received kickbacks from various ambulance companies in exchange for rights to its more lucrative Medicare and Medicaid transport referrals. Several government officials, … Read More
November 30, 2015 — If you pay your hygienist a guaranteed salary, it could be hurting your practice. Surprised? Think about it. While you know exactly how much you need to pay your hygienist each month and your hygienist knows … Read More
ALBANY – The State of New York is getting into the luxury car business courtesy of a pair of Medicaid scammers who were busted in Brooklyn. Officials are preparing to auction off two high-priced cars – including a 2013 Mercedes-Benz … Read More
Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–November 20, 2015. A Texas man was sentenced today to 63 months for his role in a $3.4 million scheme to defraud Medicare, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Kenneth … Read More
A McAllen doctor was convicted Friday after he pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud and an illegal kickback scheme with his assistant. Eduardo Carrillo, 42, admitted he attempted to bill Medicare for providing services to deceased patients, according to a news … Read More
Planned Parenthood’s Texas affiliates on Monday filed a federal lawsuit to keep state health officials from booting them from the state’s Medicaid program. Following Texas’ announcement in October that it would stop funding any care for poor women at Planned Parenthood clinics — a response … Read More
Health and Human Services (HHS) transformation presents an opportunity to restructure the Texas HHS system to make it more functional, efficient, effective and responsive. As this two-year transformation process unfolds, HHS agencies will be asking for input from stakeholders: the … Read More
