Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Justice Department Announces Hundreds Of Charges Related To Health Care Fraud, Opioid Epidemic
Reuters: U.S. Charges Hundreds In Healthcare Fraud, Opioid Crackdown
The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday announced charges against 601 people including doctors for taking part in healthcare frauds that resulted in over $2 billion in losses and contributed to the nation's opioid epidemic in some cases. The arrests came in dozens of unrelated prosecutions the Justice Department announced together as part of an annual healthcare fraud takedown. (Raymond, 6/28)
Reuters: U.S. Fines CVS For Failing To Report Opioid Theft In New York
CVS Health Corp agreed to pay a $1.5 million civil fine to resolve U.S. charges that some of its pharmacies in Nassau and Suffolk counties in New York failed to report in a timely manner the loss or theft of prescription drugs, including the opioid hydrocodone. Richard Donoghue, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, on Thursday said delays contribute to opioid abuse, and that CVS' failures impeded the ability of Drug Enforcement Administration agents to investigate, violating federal law. (Stempel, 6/28)
Denver Post: Golden Doctor Who Allegedly Sold Oxycodone Prescriptions For Cash Arrested
A 48-year-old Golden doctor has been indicted for allegedly committing a variety of billing scams including selling oxycodone for cash and billing insurance companies for office visits that never happened, including one in which his patient was in another country. John Van Wu was arrested Thursday after he was indicted for violations of the Controlled Substances Act, mail fraud and falsification of records, according to a news release by Jeffrey Dorschner, spokesman for U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer. (Mitchell, /28)
Miami Herald: After Sweep, South Florida Still No. 1 For Healthcare Fraud
On Thursday, the Department of Justice unveiled an array of new healthcare fraud cases accusing about 600 defendants nationwide of submitting $2 billion in false bills to the Medicare program for the elderly, the TRICARE system for military members and private insurance companies. Of that staggering total, about 125 defendants were charged in South Florida with filing nearly $340 million in fraudulent claims for opioid addiction treatment, home healthcare and prescription drugs covered by taxpayer-funded programs and other insurance plans. (Weaver, 6/28)
Houston Chronicle: Medicare Fraud Takedown Nets 48 Defendants In Southeast Texas
Forty-eight people across the Southern District of Texas have been charged this month with falsely billing for nearly $300 million in medical expenses as part of the federal government’s yearly Medicare Fraud Takedown. Overall, authorities have charged 601 defendants in 58 federal districts in connection with $2 billion in losses to Medicare and Medicaid. (Banks, 6/28)
In other news on the national drug crisis —
The Washington Post: Some Good News In The Fight Against Opioid Overdose Deaths
Prisoners addicted to opioids are at an extremely high risk of overdose in the period right after their release. A bill that just passed the House is designed to help. Post-incarceration overdose risk is a consequence of how the body responds to the use and non-use of opioids. Long-term, regular use of opioids (e.g., OxyContin, heroin) results in physical tolerance, meaning that larger and larger doses are needed to get the same effect. Because obtaining a steady supply of drugs in prison is very difficult, opioid-addicted offenders generally lose tolerance while behind bars. The result: If they take their “usual dose” after leaving prison, the effects can be fatal. (Humphreys, 6/28)
St. Louis Public Radio: St. Louis County Declares Opioid Addiction A Public Health Emergency
St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger declared the opioid epidemic in the county a public health emergency and endorsed a plan to have public health officials work with other organizations to combat the addiction crisis. The declaration Stenger signed Thursday at the Department of Public Health in Berkeley endorsed an action plan that includes county health officials and other organizations, including the county's Justice Services department and the Missouri Hospital Association. (Fentem, 6/28)
