Children's Dental Clinic Pays 24 Million Dollar Settlement For Abusing Kids For Profit

[democracy1st]

Run time: 01:55 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZICwcIUnGo   Posted on YouTube: January 21, 2010 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: January 21, 2010 By DU Member: democracy1st Views on DU: 1271

 
http://MOXNews.com/
January 20, 2010 ABC News


FORBA Holdings LLC, the parent company of the nationwide pediatric dental chain "Small Smiles," reached a $24 million settlement with the Department of Justice Wednesday for allegedly performing medically unnecessary or substandard procedures on children insured by Medicaid, to turn a profit.

The Justice Department claimed that some dental clinics performed unnecessary procedures, including removing teeth, x-rays, and pulpotomies -- also known as baby root canals -- and then charged Medicaid.


Whistleblowers from inside the company told ABC News it all allegedly was done to bilk taxpayers and compensate for Medicaid's low reimbursement rates.

"They wanted us to tell parents that they needed services on teeth that were healthy," one whistleblower told ABC News.

"We have zero tolerance for those who break the law to exploit needy children," Assistant Attorney General Tony West said. "Illegal conduct like this endangers a child's well-being, distorts the judgments of health care professionals and puts corporate profits ahead of patient safety."


http://abcnews.go.com/2020/dental-chain-reaches-settlement-medical-fraud-performing-unnecessary/story?id=9615119

[PA Democrat]

1. OMG. Those poor kids.

I'll bet many of them will be terrified of the dentist for years to come. I love my kids' dentist all the more after watching that video.

[kag]

2. I think they should all be given root canals...

without anesthesia! I was traumatized as a child by a mean dentist ("If you don't stop crying I'm going to give you another shot!"), but I'm pretty sure he didn't do unnecessary procedures. To this day I'm terrified of dental procedures, even cleanings. The up side--I take really good care of my teeth now.

But for people to do THIS to children! They should be prosecuted as terrorists!

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :rant:

[Jumping John]

3. People committing child abuse and fraud against the government are handed a get out of jail card.

[Demoiselle]

4. Fine them AND jail them! nt

[Mithreal]

5. Corporate Death Penalty. Why is DOJ settling with these *s?

If corporations want to be treated like people, let's do it.

[PCIntern]

6. Didja notice that the names of the dentists

running this nightmare weren't used during the entire report?

Bastards...they're what give us a bad name...

[KansDem]

8. Yet, a week or two ago here on DU, someone posted a video of police busting...

...a medicinal marijuana clinic in Orange County, California. We got to see the cops break in the doors and grab clinic workers, forcing them to the ground to 'cuff them. All the while we saw their faces before the cops taped over the clinic security cameras so we couldn't see any more.

But these evil bastards remain anonymous...

[Celtic Merlin]

7. NO JAIL TIME? . WTF?

And they're going to let this company continue to exist? The corporation MUST be broken up, their executives who were in on this scheme jailed, and the families compensated. This "FORBA Holdings" is a criminal enterprise and MUST be disbanded. The execs must be jailed. The "dentists" who went along with it must lose their licenses. The families who's children were harmed must be compensated - at least in a civil suit against the corporation.

Anything less isn't good enough.

Celtic Merlin
Carlinist