A 44-year-old McAllen woman has been charged with conspiring to pay illegal kickbacks to physicians and marketers in exchange for the referral of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. A federal grand jury returned the indictment, … Read More
AUSTIN – Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Dr. Courtney N. Phillips today announced key additions to HHSC’s leadership team who will help guide the agency’s health programs and communications efforts. “These three individuals bring tremendous strength, knowledge and … Read More
LUBBOCK, Texas (NEWS RELEASE) – Dr. Robert Ioppolo of Hill & Ioppolo Oral & Facial Surgery launches his third annual Smiles For Soldiers program that will provide a veteran or active soldier in the Lubbock community with a brand-new smile … Read More
HOUSTON — A Harris County woman is suing a Houston dentist, alleging her implants were installed negligently and caused complications. Susana Herrera filed a complaint Sept. 9 in Harris County District Court against Dr. Raoul Hanna and Hanna Dental Implant … Read More
October 16, 2019 — Henry Schein was cleared of conspiracy charges in an October 16 ruling by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). However, fellow defendants Patterson Companies and Benco were found to have conspired to refuse to offer discounted … Read More
October 15, 2019 — In DrBicuspid.com’s latest list of the largest dental service organizations (DSOs) in the U.S., the three largest ones have continued to add affiliated practices. Heartland Dental, Aspen Dental, and Pacific Dental have all added about 40 … Read More
HOUSTON (Covering Fort Bend News) – Two nurses, one a Richmond resident, are set to appear in federal court on charges they defrauded Medicare of more than $2.1 million, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick. The indictment, returned under seal Oct. … Read More
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas wants to do more than just pay health care bills. The state’s largest health insurer is getting into the provider business. Its goal is to lower health costs, improve care and reach some of … Read More
Years before Hattiesburg businessman Wade Walters was indicted on 37 charges related to a $510 million health care fraud, his name circulated in federal documents as one of four people who planned and orchestrated the plot. In earlier court documents, … Read More
Texas has the worst rate uninsured people in the country for the second year in a row, according to information released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Texas was one of only nine states to see an increase in the number … Read More
An economic incentive agreement between the city of Kyle and SmileDirectClub’s Access Dental Lab will bring 850 jobs to the city of Kyle via the Hays Logistics Center, an industrial development near I-35. The agreement was formally approved at a … Read More
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost joined other states and the federal government in announcing a settlement with Avanir Pharmaceuticals over allegations that the company paid kickbacks to medical professionals and engaged in off-label marketing tactics to promote its flagship drug … Read More
A federal jury in Texas found a physician who was the owner and operator of a medical clinic in Houston, Texas, guilty today of participating in a $16 million Medicare fraud scheme in which she signed false and fraudulent “plans … Read More
Washington (CNN)Energy Secretary Rick Perry plans to leave his post in the Trump administration by December, according to The Washington Post and The New York Times. No formal announcement has been made. “While the Beltway media has breathlessly reported on rumors of Secretary Perry’s departure … Read More
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – A dentist from Virginia Beach has been sentenced to 8 years and six months in prison for an opioid fraud scheme that went on from 2014 to 2018. According to court documents, 48-year-old Gary Hartman was … Read More
10-01-2019 | Audit (A-05-17-00049) | Complete Report | Report in Brief We estimated that Minnesota made unallowable capitation payments totaling at least $3.7 million ($3.2 million Federal share) to MCOs on behalf of deceased beneficiaries during our audit period. Of … Read More
AUSTIN – The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has been notified by the federal government that up to $3.87 billion in funds will be available for Texas each year for the next three years to help reimburse health care … Read More
Seven Floridians including four doctors are among 35 people arrested Friday by the FBI for alleged involvement in a $2.1 billion fraud that charged Medicare for false cancer genomic tests (CGx tests). According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), … Read More
Everyone complains about waste and fraud when it comes to federal spending, but this past week the government did something that could actually save us money – while making our neighbors healthier. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services … Read More
Avanir Pharmaceuticals (Avanir), a pharmaceutical manufacturer based in Aliso Viejo, California, was charged for paying kickbacks to a physician to induce prescriptions of its drug Nuedexta, the Department of Justice announced today. The Northern District of Ohio also announced indictments … Read More
The Dallas-Fort Worth area has the lowest rate of children’s health insurance coverage among the 25 largest metro areas in the United States, according to new census data released Thursday. Across the area, 11.7% of children are uninsured, continuing a … Read More
AUSTIN — A Texas appeals court has dismissed a whistleblower’s lawsuit against the Texas Health and Human Services Commission filed by a former employee who alleged he was fired in retaliation for expressing concern over alleged state law violations and … Read More
LUBBOCK, Texas — On Tuesday, a federal judge partially unsealed a lawsuit against Covenant Health in which Dr. Howard Beck made allegations of Medicare and Medicaid fraud. In September 2016, Beck filed a Qui Tam lawsuit against Covenant. Qui Tam … Read More
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The state is going after an Albuquerque dentist, claiming he practiced on patients without a license. “When we have an individual that’s trying to play in the grey, what we tell them is that it needs … Read More
WASHINGTON – Bilal Ahmed, 47, of Potomac, Maryland, pled guilty on September 6, 2019, to a federal charge of health care fraud stemming from a scheme in which he and others caused the District of Columbia’s Medicaid program to be … Read More
Federal prosecutors in Texas announced Wednesday that 58 people had been charged in connection with assorted health care fraud schemes revolving around the illegal distribution of more than six million opioid pills. The Justice Department said that those charged include … Read More
Two Valley defendants have been sentenced in a health care fraud scheme that bilked Medicaid out of more than $850,000. A McAllen federal judge sent Everado Villareal to prison for 3 years and 4 months, while sentencing Delilah Rae Robles … Read More
Richmond and Burke county grand juries have returned eight indictments in a Medicaid fraud case involving suspects from across the country. A Richmond County grand jury Tuesday indicted Timothy Smith, Dylan Logsdon and Robert Garcia each on one count of … Read More
The owner of a now-defunct Elsa durable medical equipment business will serve more than three years in prison and ordered to pay back nearly $900,000 in restitution. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez sentenced Everardo Villarreal to a 40-month prison sentence, … Read More
TYLER, Texas – A 62-year-old Longview, Texas man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown. Joseph Valdie Kimble pleaded guilty to health care fraud on Sep. 11, 2019, before … Read More
EDINBURG — Two men accused of defrauding Texas Medicaid nearly a decade ago entered not guilty pleas to charges of fraud Monday morning. Edinburg resident Osama Bachir Nahas, 64, faces four charges of Medicaid fraud while Pharr resident Gerardo Javier … Read More
HOUSTON, TX – A Houston, Texas-area hospital administrator was sentenced today for his role in a $16 million Medicare fraud scheme involving partial hospitalization programs. Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan … Read More
A federal district judge sentenced a south Florida health care facility owner to 20 years in prison today after being found guilty in the largest health care fraud scheme charged by the U.S. Justice Department. The case involves a decades-long … Read More
BALTIMORE (AP) — The Maryland attorney general’s office says a woman has been convicted of felony Medicaid fraud after claiming that she was providing care for a client with developmental disabilities and autism when she was actually working elsewhere. Attorney … Read More
For the second year in a row, the number of Texans without health insurance increased, and fewer people enrolled in Medicaid. BY STACY FERNÁNDEZ The rate of Texans without health insurance rose for the second year in a row, making it … Read More
To protect their networks and bottom lines, health insurers don’t aggressively pursue widespread fraud, making it easy for scammers. Then they pass the costs off to you. Like most of us, William Murphy dreads calling health insurance companies. They route … Read More
(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today announced that he has reached a $375,000 settlement with Santa Maria McKibbins, D.D.S., and her dental practice, Santa McKibbins Family Dentistry, to resolve allegations involving the submission of false claims to the North Carolina … Read More
A CMS rule expands its ability to revoke or deny providers’ position serving in federal networks in an effort to combat fraud in Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. “The provisions we are finalizing in this rule are necessary to address various … Read More
The owner and operator of a Buckhead-based healthcare company pleaded guilty to a $1.2 million Medicaid fraud scheme, authorities said Tuesday. Diandra Bankhead, 42, used her company, Elite Homecare, to submit thousands of fraudulent claims for Medicaid services that were … Read More
