Rhode Island
GoLocalProv | News | 2 Arrested in Alleged “Brazen & Egregious” Health Care Fraud at Addiction Treatment Chain in RI & MA
Thursday, March 02, 2023
L-R: U.S Legal professional Zachary A. Cunha for the District of RI and Joseph Bonavolonta, Particular Agent in Cost of FBI Boston Division. PHOTO: GoLocalProv
The Massachusetts operator of a sequence of habit therapy clinics is being charged in federal court docket in Windfall with hundreds of thousands of {dollars} of well being care fraud, aggravated id theft, cash laundering and obstruction, introduced United States Legal professional Zachary A. Cunha.
As well as, the therapy middle and its former supervisory counselor had been additionally charged with well being care fraud.
Michael Brier, 60, of Newton, MA, Mi Okay Bruining, 62, of Warwick, RI, and Restoration Connections Facilities of America, Inc. (RCCA) are charged by legal criticism with well being care fraud. Michael Brier was additionally charged within the criticism with aggravated id theft, cash laundering and obstruction.
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VIDEO: See Press Convention BELOW
It’s alleged in court docket paperwork that, Brier, Bruining, and RCCA shortchanged Rhode Island and Massachusetts substance abuse dysfunction sufferers out of a lot wanted counseling and therapy providers, whereas defrauding Medicare, Medicaid, and different well being insurers out of hundreds of thousands of {dollars}.
At a press convention asserting the end result of this investigation and ensuing legal expenses and arrests, Cunha commented, “What makes the fraud scheme that we’ve charged immediately significantly pernicious – is that not solely was this scheme, as we allege, designed to defraud by enriching these defendants with federal and personal healthcare {dollars} they didn’t earn, however that within the course of it cheated a susceptible inhabitants of restoration sufferers out of the total, real help and therapy that they should have an opportunity at restoration.”
“Immediately’s arrests function a robust reminder that we are going to not tolerate fraud schemes that concentrate on our federal well being care applications, as alleged, nor will we settle for something lower than prime quality look after the folks served by these applications,” stated Particular Agent in Cost Phillip M. Coyne of the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers, Workplace of Inspector Normal. “Our company’s mission is to guard the well-being of the general public and the integrity of the federal well being care system, and we are going to maintain accountable those that search to use the opioid epidemic for private acquire.”
“Immediately, we arrested and charged Michael Brier, Mi Okay Bruining, and Restoration Connections Facilities of America, for a wide-ranging scheme by which they’re accused of abusing our well being care system, dishonest taxpayers, and leveraging the opioid disaster to reap the benefits of these scuffling with substance abuse so the corporate might rake in hundreds of thousands,” stated Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Particular Agent in Cost of the FBI Boston Division. “The allegations set forth on this case symbolize some of the brazen and egregious examples of well being care fraud the FBI has seen right here in Rhode Island in latest historical past, and make no mistake, it’s not a victimless crime. Anytime the integrity of our federal well being care applications is undermined, all of us pay the value by means of the price of greater insurance coverage premiums, higher out-of-pocket bills, and co-pays, and even decreased or misplaced advantages.”
About Case
In keeping with the charging paperwork, Brier, Bruining and RCCA operated a sequence of habit therapy facilities however failed to offer the sufferers with the required counseling periods and therapy, whereas concurrently billing Medicare, Medicaid and different well being care payors for 45-minute counseling periods on a routine foundation regardless that the periods weren’t greater than quarter-hour, and infrequently solely 5-10 minutes or much less. At instances, so many counseling periods had been billed at this degree that the whole period of time can be not possible for the out there therapist to have offered in any 24-hour interval.
Brier and RCCA are additionally alleged to have precipitated a fraudulent software to be submitted to Medicare which, amongst different issues, misrepresented and hid the position that Brier was taking part in within the enterprise and did not disclose Brier’s 2013 legal conviction for federal tax crimes, which was related to Medicare’s consideration of the applying.
The Criticism additionally alleges that Brier presupposed to observe medication and wrote and precipitated to be crammed fraudulent prescriptions utilizing the names and prescriber data, together with Drug Enforcement Administration numbers, of medical doctors with out their permission.
Brier can also be alleged to have falsified a doc in a matter throughout the jurisdiction of an company of the USA by inflicting the Medical Director to signal a false and back-dated doc.
The criticism alleges that defendants precipitated hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in fraudulent billings to be submitted to Medicare and hundreds of thousands extra in fraudulent billings to different well being care payors.
The federal government can also be searching for to forfeit 13 financial institution accounts, two buildings, and two automobiles allegedly realized by the defendants because of the alleged legal conduct.
A federal legal criticism is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed harmless until and till confirmed responsible.
Assist for These Impacted
Rhode Island Division of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals is working to guarantee continuity of therapy for RCCA sufferers. Rhode Island sufferers in want of a brand new or rapid bridge prescription are urged to name (401) 606-5454; Rhode Island sufferers in want of behavioral well being referrals for physicians, counselor, or clinic data could name (410) 414-LINK.
Massachusetts Division of Public Well being, Bureau of Substance Habit Service is working to guarantee continuity of care and therapy RCCA sufferers. Massachusetts sufferers in want of a brand new or rapid bridge prescription are urged to name (617) 414-4175; Massachusetts sufferers in want of behavioral well being referrals for physicians, counselor, or different providers could name (800) 327-5050 or use helplinema.com.
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Rhode Island
Swimmers set to dive in to annual Penguin Plunge for Special Olympics Rhode Island | ABC6
NARRAGANSETT, R.I. (WLNE) — Hundreds of swimmers will brave the cold this afternoon, and get a jump on their resolutions, by helping a great cause.
Special Olympics Rhode Island will host its annual “Penguin Plunge.”
The organization expects over one thousand participants to make the leap into the winter water, all to help benefit the Special Olympics.
Registration is $25, and is still open until 11:30 a.m.
The main plunge will be at noon, with a family friendly plunge 15 minutes later.
That event will be at Scarborough State Beach.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island basketball’s offense disappears as Rams drop Atlantic 10 opener at Duquesne
The Rhode Island Rams started conference play on the wrong side of a 67-55 final Tuesday in Pittsburgh.
Sebastian Thomas scored a team-high 20 points, but he was the lone Ram to reach double figures as URI suffered its worst offensive showing of the young season, scoring a season-low 55 points on just 37 percent shooting from the field.
Rhode Island entered the contest at 11-1, its best start in third-year coach Archie Miller’s time in Kingston, but the Rhody offense scored season lows in both halves. URI’s 26 points in the opening 20 minutes was its lowest of the season and the Rams’ 29 points in the second half were also a season low.
A win would have matched Rhode Island’s win total from last season, when the Rams were 12-20.
Jahsean Corbett led Duquesne (6-8, 1-0 A-10) with 13 points, while David Dixon and Tre Dinkins III had 11 apiece. Cameron Crawford added 10.
Rhode Island hosts George Mason Saturday at 2 p.m. (USA Network).
Rhode Island
The ‘Dignity Bus,’ a homeless shelter on wheels, to return in Woonsocket, R.I. – The Boston Globe
With the resolution, the council authorized the city to again enter into a short-term lease with Community Care Alliance, which has since secured $253,896 in grant funding to operate the bus, according to Margaux Morisseau, the city’s human services director.
Councilor Valerie Gonzalez said the bus, which will be parked at Holy Family Church at 414 South Main St., could reopen as soon as Jan. 6.
“They’ve already done the hiring,” Gonzalez said. “The contracts are pretty much done with the state.”
Bus staff consists of two individuals who monitor the occupants each night, said Michelle Taylor, vice president of social health services for the Community Care Alliance. The nonprofit hires four people to work different shifts throughout the week for those positions, and also pays for personnel to clean the bus each morning, Taylor said.
Each guest is screened by staff before they come aboard, she said.
“We really need to make sure that there are people on the bus are who are going to be able to be in that congregate setting in such close quarters,” Taylor said. “So we are looking at individuals who are able to manage themselves, go in, be quiet, and settle down pretty quickly. If we discover that someone is not in that frame of mind, usually they’ll be screened out before they enter the bus.”
The latest funding covers only nine months of operations for the bus, according to Morisseau, who said efforts are underway to secure additional funding.
“It hopefully would operate year round,” Taylor told councilors.
“The people that we’re seeing are very medically fragile,” Taylor added. “We’re having people who are dealing with cancer, who have had hip replacements, who are dealing with really advanced, you know, uncontrolled diabetes, like all kinds of things. And so you know, the reality is, whether it’s January or August, these are not folks who really should be outside.”
Several councilors said the city must also develop long-term options to address homelessness, as the Dignity Bus, although needed, is only a temporary solution.
Councilors voted Monday to pass a resolution establishing a city committee to study homelessness on the local level and provide recommendations.
The number of people experiencing homelessness across the state has risen significantly in recent years, having more than doubled since 2020 to up to more than 2,400 as of January 2024, as recorded during the state’s Point in Time count.
“We obviously need to work on the temporary issue of getting [people] out of tents and into warming centers or overnight shelters immediately,” said council Vice President Denise D. Sierra. “But we also need to focus on what is going to lift people out of homelessness on a more permanent basis.”
Councilor James C. Cournoyer said he is optimistic the committee will put forth some options for the city to consider in short order, but noted officials must balance support for the homeless with the concerns of other residents.
Councilors regularly receive emails and phone calls about homeless encampments in the city, and while some of the sites do not pose issues to the public, when “they’re littered with needles and other stuff, it’s a problem,” Cournoyer said.
“We absolutely want to help those that are in need, but we also have residents that are pulling their hair out at some of the issues that they’re dealing with as a result of it,” he said.
According to the resolution, the committee will be made up of three councilors: Sierra, Gonzalez, and Michael N. Dubois.
“We do know that there’s something that needs to be done,” Dubois said on Monday. “When I’m looking at this, I’m looking at sons and daughters of some people here in the city that are living in these encampments. And a lot of people are saying, well, let’s shut them all down, pass legislation. We may get to that point — at some point. But right now, we have to create a safety net. We have to have a short-term goal and a long-term goal.”
Christopher Gavin can be reached at christopher.gavin@globe.com.
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