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Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Five More Charged in Spinal Fusion Kickback Scheme

  • By Greg Jones
  • State: California
  • Topic: Top
  • - Popular with: Legal
  • -  0 shares
Federal prosecutors announced five more people have been charged for their alleged role in a scheme …

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Joe Lamp Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

Finally.... some justice bringing down some of those arrogant corrupt doctors. Lets hope that because of the corrupt influence that innocent patients weren't hurt. The state regulators need to permanently revoke this doctor's licenses due to their egregious greed.

KURT HOFFMAN Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

Do you think the AA's had little fingers in the pots of gold? Hmmm.... Doesn't make sense to refer a patient to a doctor ...

Kevin Yang Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

Yet CAAA remains silent . . .

Mary Huckabaa Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

So, when does the WCAB step up and make a blanket stay against these networks of doctors collecting fees that were based on these illegal referrals? Stop the train of money, you stop the fraud.

Carriers try UR to stop unnecessary referrals and they are called BAD.

Carriers object to the bills because they were for unapproved, unnecessary treatment, and they are called BAD.

They incur the costs to take all this to trial and they are called BAD.

Then the liens come filing in and they incur more costs to try to deny the lien, because now there are indictments, and prosecutions going on. But still, the WCAB allows these very same 'lien claimant's come in to the Board and collect!!

They refuse to shut down the flow of money.

Anyone have a true answer.............I sure don't.

Anonymous Nov 21, 2016 a 6:49 pm PST

Not all of these were done on liens in fact I believe most were approved either by UR or second opinion for spinal surgery process. How did so many get approved?

Miguel Jaramillo Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

I think this is all a waste of time and done just to overshadow the other side of the fence who not so long ago was in the same spotlight for receiving kickbacks. The insurance has to throw the light on to someone else to make it seem like the doctors are the wrong doers. If the doctors were able to treat and get paid, then they wouldnt have to do these things. i see it as WOW, a doctor is going to prison and getting punished for providing treatment. lmao.. sorry.

Anonymous Nov 21, 2016 a 6:49 pm PST

Not all of these were done on liens in fact I believe most were approved either by UR or second opinion for spinal surgery process. How did so many get approved?

KURT HOFFMAN Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

Paul Randall...Lol

Eva Pina Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

Now time to arrest the applicant attorney's who send their clients to these crooks!

Anonymous Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

I will second that! But has it ever happened and why not? Just like most doctors try to do a good job, so do most attorneys. But do not be naive. Anyone who has been in this business knows what goes on. And I have yet to see an attorney charged.

Kevin Yang Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

I have quite a few AA friends in SoCal. Off the record, they admit they "know what they're getting" when they send their ignorant claimants (usually Spanish speaking) to the SoCal MD mills. They are getting 2 years guaranteed TD (until the cap hits), massive liens/unnecessary treatment (to pressure the insurer/employer), and an inflated P&S report (which is probably inadmissible, but can't hurt in negotiations). Then after 2 years of "treatment", they finally meet their client (usually at Conference) and begin negotiating settlement. Wash, rinse, repeat. It's a solid business model built on the broken bodies of injured workers.

Rick Taylor Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

Good! Now lets go after some of the carriers and defense for their "pay to play" tactics.

CorVel RMS Chino Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

Totally agreed. As an insider in the worker's compensation industry working for carriers and with defense firms, this has to stop on all sides. Why is California so bad? Start at the bottom and then go up. The employer reports the claim, it goes to a semi-competent adjuster who is not paid well in return by the carrier, the carrier profits in obtaining the "chosen" few attorneys on an elite panel and then those attorneys play golf with the applicant attorneys and make a deal with doctors to organized crime. Why must this go on? What happened to earning a clean living?

David Stein Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

Who? We know on the AA/MD side but why no carrier names.

Lois Smith Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

JUst because an AA refers an injured worker to a doctor does not mean all AA have their hand or finger in the pot. I represented one of these facilities for YEARS and no clue what was going on because it was all "behind the scenes". Don't go throwing everyone into one pot. That is not fair to the community as a whole. I agree though this kind of behavior is unconscionable but that doesn't mean that they didn't do any good!!

And exactly where should an AA send an injured worker that can't get treatment? Maybe the dog pound because that's how some insurance companies are treating the injured workers!!

Kal Attar Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

I suspect many, not all, A/A's are mixed up in this crap. If not direct kickbacks then lunches, happy hours, gift baskets etc... Now if they could just go after the big applicant treating medical groups in Southern CA they will really being making some ground.

Kevin Yang Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

Applicant attorneys will never stop sending their clients to doctors like these. And guys like Sobol and Cohen have already been quickly replaced. The whole system sets it up this way. There are too many financial incentives to "juice" up the patient's injuries and AAs/MDs have an elite standard of living to maintain (especially in CA). Let's see, Client returns to work w/ reasonable treatment + minimal PD OR failed back surgery + life pension + invalid for life. Which result will net the applicant attorney and applicant minded MD the largest profits?

Kevin Yang Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

Countdown to someone citing an unnamed "whistleblower" and blaming the dark cabal of insurance companies . . . 3 . 2 . 1 .

David Stein Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

We're heading for Zenith
and still we stand tall.
Cause maybe they've seen us
and welcome us all.
With so many years to go
and things to be found

I'm sure that we'll all miss you so...

It's the final countdown........

Kevin Yang Nov 3, 2016 a 2:58 pm PDT

There you have it folks, here come the nutjobs.

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