Florida Man Pleads Guilty To $36.2 Million Telehealth Medicare Fraud Scheme
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On March 20th, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in the Middle District of Florida, announced that a Florida man pled guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud in a $36.2 million telemedicine fraud scheme. As part of […]
When the DEA Comes Knocking: 15 Tips If You Find Yourself Facing a “Routine” DEA Inspection
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law As the United States continues to open back up from the COVID-19 shutdown, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is resuming on-site routine inspections. Therefore, healthcare professionals must ensure compliance and regulatory efforts are in place. This is part […]
What You Need to Know Right Now If the DEA is Knocking on Your Door!
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Is the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) knocking at your door or, even worse, going through your files inside your office? If so, this is what you need to know right now! YES, you do have the right to […]
Is the DEA Knocking on Your Door? What You Need to Know Right Now!
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Is the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) knocking at your door or, even worse, going through your files inside your office? This is what you need to know right now! YES, you do have the right to call your […]
When the DEA Comes Knocking: 15 Tips For a “Routine” DEA Inspection
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law As the United States continues to open back up from the COVID-19 shutdown, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is resuming on-site routine inspections. Therefore, healthcare professionals must ensure compliance and regulatory efforts are in place. This is part […]
Florida Pharmacy Owner Pleads Guilty For Role in $8.3 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On September 27, 2022, a Florida pharmacy owner pled guilty to conspiring to commit healthcare fraud in an $8.3 million scheme. The scheme involved securing orders for medically unnecessary prescriptions billed to Medicare and paying bribes and kickbacks, […]
DOJ Files False Claims Suit Against Nursing Homes Over “Substandard Services and Nonexistent” Care
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On June 15, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it has sued three nursing homes in Ohio and Pennsylvania, citing their “grossly substandard skilled nursing services.” The False Claims Act (FCA) complaint against the American Health […]
From the archives: Supreme Court Explores Doctor Intent in “Pill Mill” Criminal Prosecutions Under the Controlled Substances Act
Previously published on June 24, 2022By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Physicians and other healthcare professionals usually have broad scope to prescribe most drugs, including potentially dangerous ones. However, over the past decade, many limits, often imposed arbitrarily through criminal prosecutions or drastic administrative […]
Iowa Appellate Court Reverses $6 Million Nursing Home Negligence Decision Because of Hearsay Testimony
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A, LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm On June 21, 2023, the Court of Appeals of Iowa overturned the verdict in a nursing home negligence case that awarded $6 million in compensation and damages to the […]
Walmart Increases Pay For Thousands of Pharmacists and Opticians
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On May 31, 2023, Walmart announced it is raising wages for 7,700 U.S. pharmacists and opticians in a nationwide plan to expand healthcare services. The retailer said about 3,700 pharmacists would get a bump in pay, bringing their […]
Two Admins at a Veterans Home Criminally Charged For Mishandling Deadly COVID-19 Outbreak
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified in Health Law On September 25, 2020, two administrators at a Massachusetts veterans home were criminally charged with negligence for their role in a COVID-19 outbreak that killed 76 veterans. Attorney General (AG) Maura Healey reportedly stated that the criminal case involving Soldiers’ Home in […]
Two Administrators Charged With Negligence For Deadly COVID-19 Outbreak at Veterans Home
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified in Health Law On September 25, 2020, two administrators at a Massachusetts veterans home were criminally charged with negligence for their role in a COVID-19 outbreak that killed 76 veterans. Attorney General (AG) Maura Healey reportedly stated that the criminal case involving Soldiers’ Home in […]
Ex-UCLA Phlebotomist Awarded $1.6 Million in Harassment Lawsuit
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On August 7, 2019, a jury awarded almost $1.6 million to a woman who alleged she was fired for complaining about coworker’s subjecting her to racial insults and discriminatory comments at her job. Nicole Birden claimed that UCLA […]
Former UCLA Phlebotomist Awarded Nearly $1.6 Million in Harassment Suit
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On August 7, 2019, a jury awarded almost $1.6 million to a woman who alleged she was fired for complaining about coworker’s subjecting her to racial insults and discriminatory comments at her job. Nicole Birden claimed that UCLA […]
Florida Pharmacist Gets More Than Six Years in Prison For Role in Compounding Fraud Scheme
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On November 29, 2018, a Florida pharmacist was sentenced to six and a half years in prison and ordered to pay $3.4 million, for her role in a scheme to defraud the government. Marjorie Robinson pled guilty one […]
Florida Pharmacy Owner to Serve 15 Years in Prison for $100 Million Billing Fraud Scheme
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On April 26, 2018, the owner of several Florida pharmacies was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to give up $54.5 million in restitution. Nicholas A. Borgesano Jr., owner of A to Z Pharmacies, pled guilty to his role in a […]
Pennsylvania Nursing Home Settles Wrongful Death Suit, Agrees to Pay $800,000
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On December 21, 2017, the Devereux Foundation in Philadelphia, agreed to pay $800,000 to end a wrongful death suit against staff at The Devereux Pocono Center. The suit accused staff at the organization’s residential behavioral health facility in […]
Nursing Home Chain Hit With $1.5 Million Verdict in Sex Discrimination Lawsuit as Jury Sides with Former Employee
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On November 2, 2017, a former elder care facility executive was awarded a $1.5 million verdict by a federal jury in Washington state. Irene Riggs claims she was fired for complaining about the “sexually charged” environment created by […]
Broward Health Executives Charged for Conspiring to Get Rid of CEO
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On December 12, 2017, five North Broward Health District executives were hit with criminal charges. A state attorney is alleging violations of Florida’s open government laws for supposedly holding secret meetings at which they decided to terminate the […]
Health Care Software Double-Bills Government For Anesthesia Services According to FCA Suit
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On November 2, 2017, a relator in a Florida federal False Claims Act (FCA) case, claimed that Epic Systems’ (Epic) health software wrongly defaults to double-billing for anesthesia services. As a result, the government is being overbilled by […]
Concierge Medical Services Bring Cash With Few Hassles to Physicians
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law What is concierge medical services? A concierge medical service or practice is a similar to having a primary care provider such as a family practice physician. However, concierge practices are marked by a promise, explicit or implied, that […]