TDMR has written extensively on how the provisions of the Texas Medicaid Prevention Act may be used by apparently unscrupulous relators to seemingly blackmail honest dentists into hefty monetary settlements to avoid costly and lengthy litigation. Problems with TMFPA The … Read More
SmileDirectClub will wind down its business after its efforts to recapitalize in bankruptcy failed. The Nashville, Tenn.-based online teeth-straightening company said Friday efforts to identify investors or partners needed to recapitalize the business had failed. “We were unable to find … Read More
A pair of Houston men have been arrested for allegedly running an unlicensed dentistry practice for 20 years, after an investigation into an alleged sexual assault by one of the men led officers to scrutinize the pair’s licensure. Alberto Alanis … Read More
ST PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office charged three people with racketeering, theft by swindle and a host of other crimes in what they describe as the largest-ever Medicaid fraud prosecution by the Minnesota Medicaid Fraud Control Unit … Read More
In a significant blow to healthcare fraud, Tamara Yvonne Motley, the owner of two medical equipment companies, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. The 55-year-old, also known as Tamara Ogembe, was found guilty for leading a scheme that … Read More
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Days after a local congressman asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to investigate months-long delays in Texas, potentially impacting millions of low-income and vulnerable people in the state, the agency is responding. CMS said in … Read More
About 1.4 million Texans have lost Medicaid coverage so far this year as the state continues to check eligibility. Since federal pandemic-era protections ended in early 2023, more than 11.7 million people nationally have lost Medicaid coverage, according to data … Read More
PHOENIX – The head of Arizona’s Medicaid agency is opening up about the AHCCCS fraud scandal plaguing our state. It’s been nearly a year since Carmen Heredia, cabinet executive officer, took over as the head of the agency, and she … Read More
ROGERS, Ark — Court documents confirm that the judge originally presiding over Dr. Brian Hyatt’s criminal trial where he’s accused of large-scale Medicaid fraud has recused herself. According to online court records, Judge Karen Whatley ordered the case to be … Read More
TYLER, Texas — Five defendants have been convicted of participating in a healthcare kickback conspiracy involving a Central Texas hospital, according to the United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Texas, including the former CEO of the hospital. According to … Read More
Planned Parenthood no longer provides abortions in Texas, Louisiana and the other 10 states that have essentially banned abortion since the Supreme Court handed down its Dobbs v. Jackson decision in June 2022. But the nonprofit is still providing other … Read More
Dive Brief: The HHS’ Office of the Inspector General is expected to recover more than $3.44 billion in fiscal year 2023 as a result of investigations into fraud and misspent funds in Medicare, Medicaid and other government health programs, according … Read More
Federal prosecutors say a North Texas medical lab owner could go to prison for scamming Medicare out of $1.7 million. Prosecutors say JDS Labs submitted nearly $4 million worth of claims to Medicare for over-the-counter COVID-19 tests, and actually got … Read More
Impoverished Texans, the vast majority of them children, could go hungry this Christmas because of dysfunction at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, whistleblowers at the state agency warned in an anonymous letter released Nov. 21. “Thousands of Texans … Read More
PLANO, Texas — A local man pleaded guilty on Thursday to a fraudulent scheme aimed at obtaining approximately $1.7 million from Medicare, according to U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Leigha Simonton. 55-year-old Damon Heath Roberts, of Plano, … Read More
The Washington Dental Quality Assurance Commission has suspended the license of David Dowling, DDS, an orthodontist in Mississippi. Dr. Dowling had his license suspended by the Washington commission in September. He surrendered his license in California in October following an … Read More
A New York City man recently pleaded guilty to charges of practicing dentistry without a license, westchester.news12.com reported Nov. 29. Cesar Masso, 79, set up an unlicensed dental business in White Plains, N.Y., and allegedly performed extractions and administered X-rays … Read More
Marathon Petroleum, which operates a refinery in El Paso, has donated $50,000 to the oral health clinic at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. At the clinic, dental students gain real-world experience under the guidance of instructors while … Read More
A Virginia-based nurse practitioner, Daphne Jenkins, pleaded guilty in federal court for her role in a multi-million dollar telemedicine fraud scheme that defrauded Medicare of $7.8 million over four years. According to the Department of Justice, between December 2018 and … Read More
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A doctor from Northwest Arkansas has been charged with two counts of felony Medicaid fraud. A release from Attorney General Tim Griffin says Dr. Brian Hyatt made fraudulent Medicaid claims of more than $300,000. “Prosecution of … Read More
BOSTON — A Natick psychiatrist is facing up to 20 years in prison after a federal jury convicted him of Medicare fraud-related charges for illegally charging $11 million in treatments he never provided. A U.S. District Court jury inBoston found … Read More
At least 812,000 Texas children have lost health care coverage in the last seven months following the end of pandemic-era continuous Medicaid renewals, according to the latest data from KFF. Children are 58 percent of the 1.4 million Texans who … Read More
HUDSON VALLEY, NY — A doctor and his wife who worked in Pennsylvania have admitted their roles in schemes to solicit and receive kickbacks and bribes in exchange for ordering genetic tests, prosecutors announced Wednesday. “Ripping off the federal government … Read More
MIAMI – Prosecutors dropped charges against five South Florida dental clinic workers who were accused of fraud in April. Mercedes Linares, 53, of Hollywood; Christi Olson, 47, of Hialeah; Leonardo Ramos, 22, of Hialeah Gardens; Leonel Ravelo, 34, of Hialeah … Read More
HARTFORD — A North Haven dentist accused of defrauding more than $200,000 from the Medicaid health care program for the poor accepted a plea bargain Monday and was convicted of two felonies, but can avoid an immediate prison sentence by … Read More
The Archdiocese of St. Louis’ Rural Parish Dental Clinic uses a traveling mobile dental office to offer emergency and preventative dental work for indigent and under-insured clients in outlying counties of the diocese in a traveling mobile unit. Video by … Read More
ANeligh pharmacist was ordered to pay $573,000 in restitution at her sentencing Monday for health care fraud. Danelle Charf pleaded guilty in federal court in Omaha to making false statements related to health care matters. Chief Judge Robert F. Rossiter, … Read More
Dentists looking to sharpen their clinical skills and grow their careers will have plenty of opportunities from the American Dental Association to learn and network in 2024. Appropriate for both dentists and their teams, the new ADA Livestream Series will … Read More
New standards and technical reports are available for comment from the American Dental Association’s Standards Committee on Dental Informatics and Standards Committee on Dental Products. The Standards Committee on Dental Informatics has approved the following new standard for circulation and … Read More
The Texas Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Civil Medicaid Fraud Division filed a lawsuit against several major pharmaceutical manufacturers including Pfizer, Tris Pharma, and Tris Pharma CEO Ketan Mehta, alleging violations of the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention … Read More
WORCESTER, Mass. (WWLP) – Managers of a Massachusetts home care company were arrested and arraigned in court in connection to an alleged scheme to defraud MassHealth of more than $1.6 million. According to the Attorney General’s office, 39-year-old Bernice Codjia … Read More
DALLAS – Two North Texas doctors have been charged for healthcare fraud after allegedly being paid approximately $12 million for fraudulent services. Doctors Desi Barroga and Deno Barroga were arrested last week in connection to the multi-million dollar scheme and … Read More
The Texas Supreme Court agreed this past week to hear arguments as to why the $16.5 million summary judgment against Dr. Richard Malouf should not be upheld. Oral arguments will be heard on January 31 next year. A dozen years … Read More
MIAMI – Steven King was the chief compliance officer for a pharmacy holding company. His lack of compliance with the law will make him a federal inmate. A federal jury convicted the 45-year-old Miramar man of conspiracy to commit health … Read More
The theme of the American Dental Association 2024 National Children’s Dental Health Month is “Healthy Habits for Healthy Smiles!” The February 2024 National Children’s Dental Health Month, promoted by the ADA, is a month-long national health observance that brings together … Read More
Texas kids are quickly losing their Medicaid health insurance in 2023, an alarming sign to advocates for children’s health in the state. A report released Wednesday highlighted major progress in the state’s insurance rate for children last year. Last year, … Read More
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — More than 100 elementary school students in the El Paso Independent School District are receiving free dental exams Friday. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso and Marathon Petroleum are teaming up once again … Read More
NJ AG authorities announced that an Atlantic County man was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for defrauding New Jersey state health benefits programs out of millions of dollars by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary prescriptions. … Read More
Dr. Richard Malouf has won a hearing in front of the Texas Supreme Court in his case against the state for allegedly defrauding Medicaid of millions of dollars. The review results from an appeal after a state district court found … Read More
Here are four updates on dental therapy legislation that Becker’s has reported on in 2023: 1. Wisconsin legislators introduced a bill that would allow dental therapists to practice in the state. 2. New York legislators are considering two bills to … Read More
