May 19, 2013
McAllen Monitor
Allegations of Medicaid Fraud remain unproven, group says
A recent piece carried in The Monitor and written by the Texas Tribune’s Becca Aaronson (“Legislators seek action on Medicaid fraud measures”) paints a picture of massive, out of control fraud across the state of Texas, perpetrated by dentists and especially orthodontists.
May 17, 2013
Texas Tribune
House Backs Bill to Protect Medicaid Providers’ Rights
Medicaid providers would have clearer due process rights during fraud investigations under a measure the House gave tentative approval to on Wednesday.
May 17, 2013
Austin American Statesman
House passes reform for Medicaid investigations
The Texas House gave final approval Friday to a measure designed to add due-process protections for health care providers being investigated for fraud.
Apr 25, 2013
Texas Tribune
Legislators Seek Action on Medicaid Fraud Measures
After the discovery that the state was spending millions of dollars on fraudulent Medicaid dental and orthodontic care, state lawmakers held hearings ahead of the legislative session to identify what went wrong and how to prevent future fraud.
Apr 16, 2013
Texas Tribune
House Panel Debates Medicaid Expansion Proposal
Despite Gov. Rick Perry remaining strongly opposed to expanding Medicaid, a House panel on Tuesday considered legislation that would expand coverage to poor adults under the Affordable Care Act.
Apr 16, 2013
WFAA
Medicaid dental dollars return to state… and to lobbyists
After a News 8 investigation into questionable spending on Medicaid payments, the state has been recovering some of the hundreds of millions it spent for orthodontics under Medicaid.
Apr 15, 2013
Texas Tribune
Senate Approves Bill That Targets Medicaid Fraud
The Texas Senate on Monday approved legislation that aims to tackle Medicaid fraud.
Apr 9, 2013
Amarillo Globe News
Judge: Amarillo orthodontist must pay $1.8M in restitution
A federal judge sentenced an Amarillo orthodontist to more than 4 years in prison Tuesday and ordered him to pay $1.8 million in restitution for bilking the Texas Medicaid Program out of more than $1 million.
Mar. 14, 2013
Texas Tribune
Perry Zings GOP, Calls Medicaid Expansion “Coercion”
Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday called the Medicaid expansion piece of federal health reform “fiscal coercion,” and blamed conservatives who have embraced it for folding “in the face of federal bribery and mounting pressure.”
Mar. 14, 2013
Texas Tribune
Perry Asks Delegation to Push for Medicaid Flexibility
Ahead of his Thursday speech before the Conservative Political Action Conference, Gov. Rick Perry has sent a letter to members of Texas’ congressional delegation asking them to fight for flexibility for the state’s Medicaid program.
Mar. 12, 2013
Texas Tribune
House Sends Medicaid IOU Bill to Perry
House members unanimously approved a bill largely devoted to addressing a shortfall in Medicaid. Health providers for poor children and the disabled in Texas won’t get paid starting Thursday unless Gov. Rick Perry signs the bill soon…
Mar. 9, 2013
Texas Tribune
Updated: Bill Grants HHSC Power to Address Medicaid Reform
A bill filed Friday by state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Simonton, would grant the Texas Health and Human Services Commission authority to craft “a Texas solution” to Medicaid reform…..
Mar. 8, 2013
Texas Tribune
Lawmakers Seeking “Texas Solution” to Medicaid Reform
Momentum is building in the Capitol to find a “Texas solution” for reforming — and possibly expanding — Medicaid, the joint state-federal health program for children, the disabled and the very poor….
Feb. 20, 2013
Fox 2
Gov. Perry Reappoints Wilson as Inspector General of Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Gov. Rick Perry has reappointed Douglas Wilson of Pflugerville as inspector general of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2014….
Feb. 13, 2013
Reuters
Dentist wins $7.7 mln after prosecution fudged records
A Brooklyn jury on Tuesday awarded a dentist $7.7 million after finding that members of the prosecutor’s office had fudged billing records to secure an indictment for Medicaid fraud…
Feb. 13, 2013
New York Daily News
Dentist smeared in Spitzer Medicaid fraud witchhunt wins $7.7 million from former governor’s staff
Dr. Leonard Morse was pursued by Elliot Spitzer because Morse was one of the top Medicaid billers in the state, his suit claimed. The dentist ended up losing his practice and credibility in the field, and the verdict garnered $1.6 million more than expected…
Feb. 12, 2013
Amarillo Globe News
Amarillo orthodontist must forfeit $1.5M
An Amarillo orthodontist must forfeit $1.56 million he fraudulently gleaned from the Texas Medicaid program by billing for dental work he never performed, an Amarillo judge has ruled…
Feb. 7, 2013
Dr. Bicuspid
Texas working to recover millions in Medicaid fraud
The Texas Attorney General’s Office has racked up more than $1 billion in Medicaid fraud recoveries over the last 10 years. Of that, the state has recovered more than $400 million since 2002 resulting from its Medicaid fraud investigations…
Feb. 4, 2013
WFAA
Bracing Ourselves: How Texas spent $705 million on Medicaid braces
Until last year, the Texas Medicaid Dental Orthodontic program was spending money like a Christmas shopper on Black Friday. …..
Jan. 31, 2013
Texas Tribune
Senate Finance Grills Doctor on Fraud Allegations: Update
State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, grilled a Medicaid provider who told the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday that the Office of Inspector …..
Jan. 30, 2013
Texas Tribune
Senate Finance Interrogates OIG on Fraud Investigations
A lead senator on the Senate Finance Committee had tough questions about allegations of Medicaid fraud and whether dental clincs are hurting Texas children…..
Jan. 30, 2013
Texas Tribune
Senate Finance Committee Tackles Health Budget
The Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday opened its discussion on how to finance the state’s health budget by considering the impact of cost containment initiatives and how to proactively curb Medicaid fraud….
Jan. 29, 2013
Austin American Statesman
Pediatric dental practice closing after Medicaid payments are cut off
Carousel Pediatrics began shutting down its Austin dental practice Tuesday night, displacing about 28,000 low-income pediatric patients, after state health investigators cut off Medicaid payments over allegations of fraudulent activity….
Jan. 16, 2013
Austin American Statesman
Bills target Medicaid fraud, costs
Legislation filed Wednesday in the Texas Senate would seek to cut Medicaid costs by revamping how the state delivers long-term care, including nursing homes, and by targeting fraud…
Jan 16, 2013
Dallas Morning News
Texas Senate leaders target Medicaid fraud and abuse
Texas Senate leaders target Medicaid fraud and abuse … particularly serious in Medicaid dental, orthodontia, transportation of our Medicaid …
Jan 4, 2013
Politifact.com
Committee chief says Texas government spent more through Medicaid on orthodontia than other states combined
A legislator featured at a breakfast during the September 2012 Texas Tribune Festival brought up orthodontia—I know, right?—and made a Texas-sized claim.
Dec 28, 2012
DrBicuspid.com
Texas legislators to consider new DSO regulations
SB 151 is designed to “strengthen the Texas State Board of Dental … and orthodontists across the state had bilked the Medicaid system out of tens of … crackdown on dental Medicaid fraud and formed a task force to help deal…
