Dental Law Blog | The Health Law Firm Blog

Embezzling Administrator of Pediatric Clinic Faces Health Care Fraud Sentencing

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

An administrator of a Louisiana pediatric clinic has recently pleaded guilty in a health care fraud case. She faces up to 10 years in prison and over $200,000 in fines. The charges allege embezzling more than $500,000 of the clinic’s money and diverting it to her personal account, from approximately August through September of 2014. She allegedly used this massive amount of money to purchase luxury items for herself including jewelry, custom artwork and a motorcycle. Much of the money came from reimbursement the clinic received from the state’s Medicaid program.

The Investigation.

The administrator was investigated by […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:21-04:00May 15, 2018|Dental Law Blog|

6 Charged In Florida Chiropractic PIP Insurance Fraud Scheme

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On October 4, 2017, federal prosecutors charged six Florida residents with running a multi-million dollar insurance fraud scheme through a dozen chiropractic clinics. The alleged scheme involved paying kickbacks to chiropractors and tow truck companies to refer accident victims and then fraudulently billing insurers for services the victims did not need.
An indictment unsealed in Fort Lauderdale charges three of the individuals involved with racketeering, conspiracy to commit fraud and making false statements relating to health care matters. Three additional people were also charged with conspiracy to commit fraud.

Insurance Fraud Scheme.

Prosecutors claim that beginning in 2010, […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:21-04:00May 15, 2018|Dental Law Blog|

Michigan Dentist Accused of Million Dollar Medicaid Fraud Scheme Captured in Caribbean

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

A Michigan dentist accused of Medicaid fraud was recently captured in the Dominican Republic after evading charges for months, state authorities announced. Dr. David Johnson operated the alleged scheme through Livernois Dental in Detroit, which he owned at the time but has since sold.

27 Charges.

Dr. Johnson was charged by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette in May 2017, after allegedly using another dentist’s information to improperly bill Medicaid $1.7 million over a three year period of time. The charges include one count of racketeering, punishable by up to 20 years in prison; 20 counts of false […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:22-04:00May 15, 2018|Dental Law Blog|

Florida Dental Receptionist Charged With Stealing Thousands of Dollars From Patients

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On October 20, 2017, a receptionist at a Deltona dental clinic was arrested on charges she stole thousands of dollars in cash payments from the business’ customers since the beginning of 2016. Lucina Rodriguez was charged with two counts of grand theft in the case, which involved 30 missing bank deposits totaling more than $18,000 in cash. Rodriguez allegedly collected the cash payments from customers at Dental Care of Deltona, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

The Alleged Theft.

According to Volusia County sheriffs’ detectives, Rodriguez pocketed the cash deposits that were supposed […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:22-04:00May 15, 2018|Dental Law Blog|

20 Tips to Help You Survive Facing Peer Review for Your Hospital Clinical Privileges-Part 2 of 2

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

In Part 1 of this blog I began a list of tips that should serve you well if you are notified by your hospital or medical staff that you are the subject of an internal or external peer review action. Click here to read Part 1.

20 Tips For Successful Outcome in Peer Review (Continued):

10. If you are given the opportunity to meet with the reviewers or provide information to them, do so. If you haven’t been offered this, ask for it in writing.

11. Make sure any written response is provided in a […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:23-04:00May 15, 2018|Dental Law Blog|

FTC Drills Dental Software Provider For Deceptive Encryption Promises

By: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
A leading dental office management software provider has agreed to pay $250,000 to settle the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) claims that it falsely advertised its product as having industry-standard encryption. This encryption would help clients meet obligations under federal health privacy law to protect patient information.

Protecting Patient Information.

The Dentrix G5 software is used by dentists to perform office tasks such as entering patient data, sending appointment reminders, submitting insurance claims and recording diagnostic information. According to the FTC, Henry Schein Practice Solutions Inc. violated […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:44-04:00May 15, 2018|Dental Law Blog|

Texas Federal Court Rules Dentists Can Advertise As “Specialists” in Dentistry

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On January 21, 2016, the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division, ruled that the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners could not prohibit dentists from advertising themselves to the public as “specialists” in dentistry.

The court found this to be unconstitutional, as it violated the defendants’ First Amendment rights to engage in truthful, non-misleading commercial speech. As a result of the decision, dentists who have earned board certification from the Certifying Board sponsored by the American Academy […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:44-04:00May 15, 2018|Dental Law Blog|

Holding off a Professional License Revocation or Suspension During Appeal

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

If you are a physician, dentist, nurse, psychologist, pharmacist, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, massage therapist or other licensed health professional whose license has been recently revoked or suspended, there may still be hope. As a matter of course, you would be required to immediately stop practicing or risk being prosecuted for unlicensed practice, which is a felony. Although this blog deals with Florida law, similar relief may be available in other states, too.

One of the hardest things about having a license suspended or revoked is that it becomes effective immediately, whether there was a mistake, the […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:45-04:00May 15, 2018|Dental Law Blog|

Former Oral Surgeon Gets House Arrest for Defrauding Medicaid

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On July 14, 2016, a former oral surgeon in Oklahoma was sentenced to six months’ house arrest for fraudulently billing Medicaid for anesthesia services that were performed by unlicensed dental assistants. W. Scott Harrington, whose dental practice led to thousands of patients’ being tested for HIV and Hepatitis, pled guilty in April 2016 to money laundering and agreed to pay nearly $30,000 in restitution under an agreement with federal prosecutors. He was also sentenced to two years’ probation and ordered to pay a $20,000 fine within one month.

It is actually quite remarkable that he […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:45-04:00May 15, 2018|Dental Law Blog|

Former Connecticut Dentist Ordered To Pay $700k For Medicaid Billing Scheme

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On August 11, 2016, a former dentist in Connecticut and his practice were ordered to pay more than $700,000 in restitution and civil penalties for improperly billing the state Medicaid program for pediatric dental cleanings and fluoride treatments.

Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen says a Superior Court judge ruled that Dr. Douglas Macko and his practice violated the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.

A Scheme to Improperly Bill Medicaid.

According to Jepsen, Dr. Macko allegedly devised and implemented a scheme to improperly bill the state’s Medicaid program for pediatric dental cleanings and fluoride treatments. Under law, these treatments can […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:45-04:00May 15, 2018|Dental Law Blog|