On behalf of the entire team, here at Allegiant Experts, we’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very joyous Thanksgiving! Here’s hoping that, in addition to filling your bellies amongst friends and family tomorrow, you enjoy a restful and reinvigorating holiday long weekend. We could all use one, couldn’t we?
Naturally, it’s the time of year when many of us sit around our dinner tables expressing what we’re thankful for before chowing down on traditional eats such as turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie. At Allegiant Experts, we’re certainly thankful for many things, but especially for the many opportunities we’ve been given by attorneys who entrust our clinical expertise to help them in their health care fraud cases.
If our blog has proven anything over the years, it’s that there are cases of health care fraud occurring all over the United States – and no field within the medical profession is immune to them.
The dentistry field has its own share of turkeys to contend with.
As Kara Hartnett of NashvillePost.com reports this week, Dental Excellence owner and dentist, Richard Schott and his company’s practice administrator, Kendra Glenn have been charged with falsifying claims to TennCare (Tennessee’s Medicaid program) for their personal financial gain. If convicted, they both face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count they face.
Last week in Nashville, Schott surrendered to U.S. Marshals, reports Hartnett. He has been charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. This past Monday, Glenn was arrested by FBI agents at her Georgia home. She has been indicted for seven counts of health care fraud and one count of conspiracy.
From November 2013 to January 2018, Schott and Glenn allegedly advised Dental Excellence employees to submit various fraudulent health care benefit program claims to TennCare. Among the claims was dental work that was never completed. The pair also falsified dates of service as well as credentials that were needed to take part in TennCare’s dental benefits program.
In addition, Schott and Glenn tampered with supporting documents and records for TennCare claims and provided false claim narratives to make it appear as if Dental Excellence had provided more expensive services than those that were actually rendered.
Suspicion of fraud didn’t stop the scheme.
Because of their fraudulent claims, Schott and Glenn underwent audits conducted by DentaQuest and Delta Dental as well as an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Nevertheless, they continued to conduct their scheme through four dental practices located in the Tennessee towns of Murfreesboro and Lebanon.
“Schott and Glenn took steps to conceal the fraud, including disciplining or firing employees who raised ethical concerns about the billing practices and coerced employees to lie to patients and insurance company representatives,” explains Hartnett, “Schott also initially took steps to make it appear as though the entire scheme was operated by Glenn, and that he had no involvement. “
Dental Excellence employees were noticeably unhappy.
Several registered complaints on the company’s Indeed profile, citing ethical concerns. One former employee wrote: “The practice is not focused on patients, only their wallet and insurance maximums. Their insurance handling is unethical at best and fraudulent at worst.”
At Allegiant Experts, we’re also thankful for the fact that fraudsters like Schott and Glenn continue to get taken down. If you’re a lawyer seeking the truth in your health care fraud case, contact our team to find out how we may be able to help you. Call us at 407-217-5831 or email us at info@allegiantexperts.com.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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