Tag: healthcare

Dallas is ground zero for largest Medicare/Medicaid fraud ring yet uncovered—Nigerians this time

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Last week we had the largest Medicaid fraud bust in DC history and as it turns out earlier in February we were given more details on the massive 2012 Texas bust as that case heads to trial.  In the DC case, the ringleader was a woman from Cameroon, and in Texas, 1/3 of the cases involve Nigerians.

Where is David Lubell and “Welcoming America” with his immigrant-entrepreneurs-bring-economic-boom-times to your “welcoming” cities mumbo-jumbo.  (‘Welcoming America’ is partially funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement to get your minds right about the joy immigrant diversity will bring to your town and a large part of their campaign is to convince you that hard-working immigrants are fueling the local economy.)

Readers, increasingly we see home health care businesses listed as one of those economic enterprises refugees and other immigrants bring to multi-culti cities.  (Somalis here in St. Cloud!) Now we see why!

Keep in mind, as you read this, that we don’t resettle refugees from Nigeria in any large numbers, there may be some among the asylum seekers, but I would guess the largest numbers are here because they overstayed a visa—student or tourist.  Also, know that Nigerians were “winning” the diversity visa lottery in such large numbers that they are barred in the upcoming cycles from that LEGAL immigrant pipeline to America.

Dr. Joseph Megwa’s attorney asked that his nationality and immigration status not be admitted to the court! Photo: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2213046/Medicare-fraud-bust-Justice-department-arrests-91-doctors-nurses-430MILLION-largest-case-kind.html

From Dallas News.  (Hat tip: the ever-vigilant ‘pungentpeppers’)  Emphasis is mine:

Hundreds of North Texas Nigerian-Americans are caught up in the biggest home health care frauds ever uncovered by U.S. law enforcement.

Federal indictments were issued in 2012 against those who allegedly profited the most from half a billion dollars in fraudulent local Medicare billings. But many other Nigerian-Americans living in the area and operating small health care businesses were also involved, federal law enforcement officials say.

Those officials say most of the health care fraud in Texas is committed by Texans with no particular ethnic background. And community leaders insist most Nigerian-Americans in the health care business in the Dallas area are honest.

But law enforcement officials and leaders in the Nigerian-American community describe Dallas home health care fraud as rampant and say a surprising number of the perpetrators — a third of all cases under investigation — involve Nigerian-Americans.

Greed and lax enforcement!  And, possibly a cultural predilection?

“It is embarrassing to the Nigerian community that this type of thing is going on,” said Ihekwaba, who is also president of the West Africa America Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Dallas.

“It’s greed. Greed and trying to see the easy way out,” he said. “People took advantage of lax enforcement by the federal government on this issue.”

The FBI says health care fraud is the costliest crime in America. Estimates of the losses to federal health insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid run from $44 billion to $80 billion a year.

Dallas has some of the highest Medicare spending in the nation. While the amounts spent on hospitals, drugs and doctors are not far off the national averages, home health care spending is far above the norm.

Over $100 million in fraud allegedly funneled through Dr. Joseph Megwa.

Between 2006 and 2012, federal law enforcement authorities allege more than 230 Dallas-area home health care agencies funneled patients to Arlington physician Joseph Megwa to approve $100.5 million in care they didn’t need. The owner of the largest home care agency in the case, Nigerian-American Ferguson Ikhile of Irving, has pleaded guilty.

But, LOL! Don’t mention Megwa’s nationality or immigration status because of backlash against immigrants!  If the shoe fits!

Last month, Megwa’s attorneys asked the judge in the case to prohibit prosecutors from mentioning Megwa’s nationality or immigration status because of “a backlash in this country against immigrants, particularly immigrants of color and immigrants from Africa, who are charged with criminal offenses.”

Nothing makes Americans angrier than opening our doors to immigrants who then turn around and rip us off!  As a matter of fact, we think there should be a law that when an immigrant crook is indicted, their immigration status should be made available to the public, so if they are here legally, we can begin to identify which legal programs need to be tightened up.

The next time one of your pals says, ‘I’m opposed to illegal aliens, but I’m o.k. with LEGAL immigrants,’ know that they don’t know what they are talking about!

The article at Dallas News is a long one with lots of details about how the scam is done, so I recommend reading the whole thing.

To states and cities planning to “welcome” refugees: refugee healthcare at crisis stage

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Weren’t we told Obamacare was going to take care of all the poor uninsured people?  I guess not according to this story, one more in a series, from reporter Erika Beras on refugees without health care and insurance in Pennsylvania.  Beras’ other stories are here.

From New America Media (Hat tip: ‘pungentpeppers’).  This is a long report but well worth reading.  Is your refugee contractor going to help care for the uninsured or dump them (after the federal money runs out) on your state and city?  On your local hospital?

Wyoming, are you ready for this?

Top four resettlement states for Bhutanese refugees as of 2012: PA, TX, NY, and GA.
http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/profiles/bhutanese/population-movements/

Just one of the featured refugees is Mira a Bhutanese refugee with lots of health problems and on a suicide watch.

Mira Chhetri knows all too well the perils of being uninsured. Chhetri, 23, came to the U.S. with her husband a couple years ago after spending most of her life in refugee camps in Nepal.

In her first few months here, she had ovarian cysts removed. The procedure was expensive, but like all of her health care needs at the time, it was covered by federal refugee medical assistance.  [US taxpayer funded!—ed]

All refugees have health care coverage for the first eight months they are in the U.S. But when the eight months are over, if they don’t qualify for Medicaid or disability or have a job that provides them health care, they are at a loss.

“After eight months they are like any poor American, low-income American,” said Leslie Aizenman, who runs Refugee Services at Jewish Family and Children’s Services, one of the four local agencies tasked with acclimating new refugees to Pittsburgh.

After their medical assistance ended, Chhetri and her husband were uninsured. They both made just above minimum — too much to qualify for Medicaid. Chhetri still had pending surgeries.

Before you read this below, know that there is nothing that precludes a resettlement contractor from raising PRIVATE funds to help offset the medical costs of those it brings to your city.

The U.S. State Department issues guidelines for what the resettlement agencies have to provide refugees. But when it comes to health care, Aizenman said it’s open to interpretation.

“As regarding medical care there are three sentences about what we must do for newly arriving refugees,” she said.

The agencies must make sure refugees get an entry physical in the first 30 days, and they have to address acute medical issues.

In Pennsylvania, before 2009, there wasn’t even a standardized physical exam. Physicians generally just checked for tuberculosis, parasites and sexually transmitted diseases. They also made sure that refugees got immunizations.   [Now that Pennsylvania gets so many refugees, they have stricter physical exam requirements.—ed]

Bhutanese refugees are committing suicide at alarmingly high rates (see our archive).

In Mira Chhetri’s case, in the last couple years, she and her husband have moved in and out of jobs, obtaining and losing health insurance along the way.

Along with her outstanding physical pain, in February, while she was uninsured, she attempted suicide. She spent a few days at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. Then, she received a bill for more than $8,000 in care.

Before yours becomes a “welcoming” resettlement city, get all the facts about what the ‘diversity’ is going to cost you!

IRC needs volunteers (but not at this exact moment) to help refugees navigate the US health care system

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

I actually started to write another post this morning also involving refugee health care—mental illness again, but it’s a post requiring some bit of additional work, and I’ve run out of steam today.  So just so you know I’m not on an extended break, this is a quick little post I can throw up here without too much work (or, that is what I thought before I launched!).

It is a VOLUNTEER job announcement from probably the biggest of the federal resettlement contractors—the International Rescue Committee (where its head honcho makes more than Obama makes!).*  It is for a VOLUNTEER job, sort of, at some time in the future, but they want your information now.  Hat tip: FeFe

Remember as you read this that the IRC is so concerned about the issue of tracking your VOLUNTEER hours because they turn those into the feds for cash (for them!) in a “match grant” program.  Cool huh!

Here is the ad for Baltimore, MD (I’ve emphasized the things I don’t want you to miss):

Special Needs Health Volunteer
Sector: Health
Location: US – MD – Baltimore
Employee Type: Volunteer
Employee Category: Part Time

Description

Dear perspective volunteer,
Please note that we are not currently seeking volunteers in this position for the time being. Please consider other volunteer or internship opportunities, and be in touch with any questions.
This is an unpaid volunteer position. [in case you haven’t gotten that message yet—ed]

Purpose: Special Needs Health Volunteers are paired up with refugees and asylees who have specific health needs which may inhibit their ability to become self-sufficient in their new environment. Health concerns of clients in this category may include: disabilities, mental illness, pregnancy, severe hypertension, TB, and malnutrition. Health volunteers will provide one-on-one follow-up and counseling in order to help clients navigate the US healthcare system, ensure quality care for the client, and provide basic health education.  [Did you know we are taking TB refugee cases?—ed]

Possible Responsibilities [Does anyone do this for poverty-stricken Americans?—ed]

• Provide consistent follow-up care for special health needs of clients
• Help clients to find health resources which best meet their needs
• As needed, help clients make medical appointments
• As needed, accompany clients to medical appointments
• Ensure clients understand treatment instructions
• As appropriate, provide basic preventative health counseling
• Ensure clients are receiving quality and dignified healthcare

IRC HEALTH VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS [Did we mention this was a volunteer job?—ed]

High level of cultural sensitivity
Commitment of at least four months of volunteering, 1-5 hours per week
Agreement to background check and background check fee (no more than $18.50)
Participation in health volunteer orientation and training
Diligence in keeping track of volunteer hours and communication with IRC staff through volunteer time  [The IRC must get its payment from the federal government for YOUR volunteer time.—ed]

IRC HEALTH VOLUNTEER PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Work and/or educational experience in public health, nursing, health services, international health, or other health-related field
Ability to follow-through with long-term, detail-oriented projects

If you are interested, please contactkafiya.ismail@rescue.org.

IRC leading the way from harm to home. [cute, huh!—ed]
IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.

* Now check it out!  The IRC (which wants your nursing services for free) is a $431 million dollar organization which gets $247 million from YOU, the taxpayer (page 9 of their most recent Form 990, here).  And, guess where you have to go to find out the salaries being paid at the IRC?  Page 254 of their 299-page Form 990.  George Rupp, their head honcho makes a cool $447,432 in salary and benefits which beats Obama’s $400,000 salary!

It’s called doing well by doing good!  Maybe Rupp should be required to handle the TB patients!