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Dangerous Dentistry: What One Connecticut Dentist Did That Got His License Suspended

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

Connecticut officials have suspended the license of an Enfield, Connecticut, dentist after a patient apparently died in the dentist’s chair on February 17, 2014. In a single visit the dentist allegedly attempted to extract 20 teeth from a 64-year-old woman who had prior health issues on record. One of the dental assistants reportedly begged for the procedure to be cut short after the patient began gurgling and lost consciousness. CPR was performed on the unresponsive patient before she was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

According to WGGB ABC40, the dentist faces a hearing before the Connecticut State Dental Board on June 18, 2014.

To read the article from WGGB ABC40, […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:09-04:00May 15, 2018|Categories: Board of Dentistry, Dental Law, Dentist Defense attorney, Dentistry Law, Dentists, Emergency Suspension Order, ESO, Licensure matters|Tags: administrative complaint, Administrative Hearing, attorney, Board of Dentistry, defense attorney, defense lawyer, dental defense attorney, dentist, dentist attorney, dentist lawyer, dentistry, department of health, doh, emergency suspension order, formal hearing, health law firm, Informal hearing, license revoked, licensure lawyer for dentists. licensing, medical license, the health law firm|Comments Off

Dentists: Tightened Controls on Prescribing to Medicare Part D Patients Could Affect Your Practice

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

Starting June 1, 2015, Medicare Part D will no longer reimburse patients or pharmacies for prescriptions unless the dentist opts in and enrolls in Medicare, or opts out and enters into a private contract with the patient. This measure is part of a rule finalized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The purpose of the rule is to assist CMS in cracking down on doctors, dentists and other health care providers that are improperly prescribing drugs to Medicare patients.

Medicare Part D plans provide supplemental optional coverage for prescription medication used in dentistry, are administered by private health plans and are paid for by way of premiums. As a dentist, if you have patients with Medicare Part D, you need to choose whether […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:09-04:00May 15, 2018|Categories: Dental Law, Dentistry Law, Dentists, Insurance|Tags: abusive prescribing, Administrative Hearing, applying to Medicare, audits, Board of Dentistry, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, CMS audits, controlled substances, DEA investigation, defense attorney, defense lawyer, dental board, dentist attorney, dentist defense, dentist lawyer, dentist’s license, DOH investigations, enroll in Medicare, health law, health law firm, medicare, Medicare abuse, Medicare fraud, Medicare overpayments, Medicare Part D, over-prescribing, pharmacies, prescribing painkillers, prescribing practices, prescription drug abuse, RAC audit, revocation, revoked license, suspended license, suspicious prescribing practices, termination from Medicare, the health law firm, zpic audit|1 Comment

Board of Dentistry Considers Adding Failure to Provide Dental Records to “Citation” Offenses

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

At the Florida Board of Dentistry meeting held on November 21, 2014, it discussed a proposed change to Rule 64B5-13.0046, Florida Administrative Code. The amendment would add a provision for failing to timely produce dental records to patients. This addition should help dentists avoid receiving permanent discipline on their records for a minor technical violation.

Considered was the addition of the following language to the existing Rule, listing citation-approved offenses:

Violation of subsection 466.028(1)(n), F.S., failure to timely make available to a patient or client, or to his legal representative or to the Department, if authorized in writing by the patient, copies of documents in the possession or under control of the licensee, which relate to the patient or client. Timely means less than […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:10-04:00May 15, 2018|Categories: Board of Dentistry, Dental Law, Dentist Defense attorney, Dentistry Law, Dentists|Tags: administrative citation, administrative complaint, Administrative Hearing, citation, defense attorney, defense lawyer, dental board, dental lawyer, dental records, dentist, dentist attorney, department of health, disciplinary action, disciplinary record, doh, doh complaint, Florida Board of Dentistry, Florida dentist, Florida laws, formal hearing, Informal hearing, license defense, patient records, requests for patient records|Comments Off

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 Medicaid claims, punishable by up to 10 years in prison; and six counts of false health care claims, punishable by up to four years in prison.

According to the Attorney General’s […]

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 Medicaid claims, punishable by up to 10 years in prison; and six counts of false health care claims, punishable by up to four years in prison.

According to the Attorney General’s […]

Florida Board of Dentistry Makes Changes to Anesthesia Rules

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

On November 13, 2017, The Florida Board of Dentistry updated rules and terminology for the use of anesthesia. The Board changed terminology from “conscious sedation” or “pediatric conscious sedation” to “moderate sedation” or “pediatric moderate sedation.”

The updates were done to ensure that the terminology adequately describes the type of anesthesia that is being performed.

Existing Permit Holders.

If you are a dentist that currently holds a “conscious sedation” or “pediatric conscious sedation” permit, you will receive a new permit with the updated terminology. The Board made no substantive changes to the definition or level of permit.

For more information on the requirements, rules and the process of getting a “moderate sedation” or “pediatric moderate sedation” permit, click here.

View the complete updated […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:38-04:00May 15, 2018|Categories: Health Facilities Law Blog|Tags: Board of Dentistry defense lawyer, Board of Dentistry representation, dental anesthetists defense attorney, dental anesthetists representation, dental compliance attorney, dental facility representation, dental representation, dentist attorney, dentistry defense attorney, health law defense attorney, legal counsel for dentists, legal representation for Board of Dentistry matters, Legal representation for dentists, legal representation for health care professionals, medical anesthetists defense lawyer, medical anesthetists representation, representation for Board of Dentistry investigations, representation for investigations of dentists, reviews of The Health Law Firm attorneys, The Health Law Firm reviews|Comments Off

Connecticut Dentist Gets Drilled in Huge Medicaid Fraud Case

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

A dentist and owner of a number of clinics in Connecticut is feeling the pain of justice. According to a number of news sources, Gary Anusavice will spend the next eight (8) years in prison for targeting poor patients, performing unnecessary dental procedures and collecting $21 million in fraudulent Medicaid claims. He was sentenced on October 9, 2013.

To read an article on the dentist’s sentencing from The Hartford Courant, click here.

Dentist Must Forfeit Luxury Items.

On top of prison time, the dentist will have to pay $3.3 million in restitution and $1.9 million to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a result of his Medicaid fraud scheme, according to The Hartford Courant. He was also ordered to forfeit his mansion, a […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:43-04:00May 15, 2018|Categories: Dental Law, Dentist Defense attorney, Dentistry Law, Licensure matters|Tags: barred from Medicaid, barred from practicing dentistry, Board of Dentistry, defense attorney, defense lawyer, dental group, dental license, dental office, dental practice, dentist, dentist attorney, dentist lawyer, dentistry, health care fraud, medicaid, Medicaid fraud, Medicaid fraud attorney, medicaid fraud lawyer, patient recruiters, the health law firm|Comments Off