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Dallas-Based Physician and Home Health Agency Director of Nursing Convicted in $3 Million Medicare Fraud Conspiracy

Late yesterday, a federal jury in the Northern District of Texas convicted a physician and a home health agency manager for their participation in a $3 million Medicare fraud conspiracy.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Wellcare Chief Executive Sentenced for Health Care Fraud

Former WellCare Chief Executive Officer Todd S. Farha, 45, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced today in the Middle District of Florida to serve 36 months in prison for defrauding the Florida Medicaid program.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Detroit-Area Home Health Agency Owner Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for His Role in $13.8 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Zahir Yousafzai, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gerald E. Rosen in the Eastern District of Michigan. In addition to his prison term, Yousafzai was sentenced to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $4,131,135 in restitution, jointly and severally with his co-defendants.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Owner and Recruiter for Louisiana and Texas Mental Health Clinics Convicted as Part of $258 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

An owner and operator of community mental health centers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as well as a patient recruiter for a related facility in Houston, Texas, were convicted on Wednesday, May 21, 2014, for their roles in a $258 million Medicare fraud scheme.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Convicted Money Launderers Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Health Care Fraud Scheme

Two Florida men were sentenced today in the Middle District of Florida for their roles in a fraud scheme involving the submission of more than $10 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for physical therapy.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Houston Ambulance Operator Sentenced for Her Role in $2.4 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

The owner and operator of a Houston area ambulance company was sentenced today to serve 97 months in prison for her role in a $2.4 million Medicare fraud scheme



  • OPA Press Releases

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Office Worker Pleads Guilty in Miami for Role in $7 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

An office worker pleaded guilty today in connection with a health care fraud scheme involving Anna Nursing Services Corp. (Anna Nursing), a defunct home health care company



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Owner of Physical Therapy Clinic Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Health Care Fraud Scheme

A Florida man who was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud was sentenced to serve 27 months in prison today in federal court in Tampa, Florida



  • OPA Press Releases

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Patient Recruiter Pleads Guilty in Miami for Role in $205 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A former patient recruiter pleaded guilty today in Miami, Florida, for his role in a $205 million Medicare fraud scheme



  • OPA Press Releases

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Owners of Two Houston-Area Home Health Care Companies, Doctor, and Hospital Employee Sentenced for Their Roles in $3 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Owners of two home health agencies, a doctor, and a hospital employee who sold patient information were all sentenced today for their roles in an $3 million Medicare fraud scheme



  • OPA Press Releases

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Owner of Home Health Company Pleads Guilty to Role in $6.5 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

The owner and operator of Nestor’s Health Services, Inc. (Nestor HH), a now-defunct Miami home health care agency, pleaded guilty today in connection with a $6.5 million health care fraud scheme



  • OPA Press Releases

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Nation’s Largest Nursing Home Pharmacy Company to Pay $124 Million to Settle Allegations Involving False Billings to Federal Health Care Programs

Omnicare Inc., the nation’s largest provider of pharmaceuticals and pharmacy services to nursing homes, has agreed to pay $124.24 million for allegedly offering improper financial incentives to skilled nursing facilities in return for their continued selection of Omnicare to supply drugs to elderly Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, the Justice Department announced today



  • OPA Press Releases

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Patient Recruiter Pleads Guilty for Role in $6.5 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A patient recruiter for a Miami home health care agency pleaded guilty today in connection with a health care fraud scheme involving defunct home health care company Nestor’s Health Services Inc. (Nestor HH). The owner and operator of Nestor HH pleaded guilty to charges related to the scheme earlier this month



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Sues Los Angeles Pharmaceutical Company Over Feminine Health Drug Products

The Department of Justice today announced the filing of a civil lawsuit against Laclede Inc. and its president, Michael A. Pellico, seeking to stop the distribution of over-the-counter vaginal drug products that the company makes and sells nationwide



  • OPA Press Releases

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U.S. Files Complaint and Consent Decree Against Mira Health and Senior Officers

The United States has filed a complaint and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York has entered a consent decree against Mira Health Ltd. (Mira), its chief operating officer, Michael S. Ragno Sr., and its quality assurance manager, Michael S. Ragno Jr., all of Farmingdale, New York



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department, Health and Human Services Call for Action to Address Abuse of Older Americans

Today, leaders in the fight against elder abuse announced a framework for tackling the highest priority challenges to elder abuse prevention and prosecution, and called on all Americans to take a stand against the serious societal problem of elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation



  • OPA Press Releases

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Four Patient Recruiters Plead Guilty in Miami for Roles in $20 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

Four patient recruiters pleaded guilty in connection with a $20 million health care fraud scheme involving Trust Care Health Services Inc. (Trust Care), a defunct home health care company



  • OPA Press Releases

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Four patient recruiters pleaded guilty in connection with a $20 million health care fraud scheme involving Trust Care Health Services Inc. (Trust Care), a defunct home health care company

Jose Rodrigo Arechiga-Gamboa, also known as “Chino Antrax,” was formally extradited to the United States by the Netherlands today



  • OPA Press Releases

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Owner and Administrator of Miami Home Health Companies Pleads Guilty for Role in $74 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A Miami resident who owned a home health care company and was the administrator of another home health care company pleaded guilty today for her participation in a $74 million Medicare fraud scheme



  • OPA Press Releases

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Director of Nursing Pleads Guilty in Miami for Role in $7 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A former director of nursing pleaded guilty today in connection with a health care fraud scheme involving Anna Nursing Services Corp. (Anna Nursing), a defunct home health care company in Miami



  • OPA Press Releases

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Community Health Systems Inc. to Pay $98.15 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

The Justice Department announced today that Community Health Systems Inc. (CHS), the nation’s largest operator of acute care hospitals, has agreed to pay $98.15 million to resolve multiple lawsuits alleging that the company knowingly billed government health care programs for inpatient services that should have been billed as outpatient or observation services. The settlement also resolves allegations that one of the company’s affiliated hospitals, Laredo Medical Center (LMC), improperly billed the Medicare program for certain inpatient procedures and for services rendered to patients referred in violation of the Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law. CHS is based in Franklin, Tennessee, and has 206 affiliated hospitals in 29 states



  • OPA Press Releases

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Michigan Home Health Agency Owner Pleads Guilty to Participating in $22 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

A greater Detroit-area owner of three home health agencies pleaded guilty today for his role in a $22 million home health care fraud scheme



  • OPA Press Releases

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Owner of Home Health Care Company Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Role in $6 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

A co-owner of Professional Medical Home Health LLC was sentenced today to serve 70 months in prison and ordered to pay $6.2 million in restitution for her participation in a health care fraud scheme involving the now defunct home health care company



  • OPA Press Releases

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Owner of Tax Return Preparation Franchise and Health Provider Business Sentenced to Prison for Tax Fraud, Healthcare Fraud and Money Laundering

Claude Arthur Verbal II, formerly of Raleigh, North Carolina, and now of Miami, was sentenced today to serve 135 months in prison for tax fraud, healthcare fraud and money laundering crimes in two separate cases in federal court



  • OPA Press Releases

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United States Seeks Civil Contempt Against Bayer Corporation for Failure to Substantiate Promotional Claims for Phillips’ Colon Health

The Department of Justice announced today that it filed a motion to show cause why Bayer Corporation should not be held in civil contempt for violating a court order in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Florida Home Health Care Company and Its Owners Agree to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations for $1.65 Million

A Plus Home Health Care Inc. and its owners, Tracy Nemerofsky and her father, Stephen Nemerofsky, have agreed to pay $1.65 million to the United States to settle allegations that A Plus paid spouses of referring physicians for sham marketing positions in order to induce patient referrals.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Alexandria Adult Day Healthcare Center Settles Civil Fraud Allegations

ALEXANDRIA, Va



  • OPA Press Releases

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What’s New Health Canada? November 2019 Updates

By Alejandra Gomez Perez, M.Sc., Regulatory Affairs Associate   What’s New in: Therapeutic Products Directorate: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/what-new-drug-products-health-canada.html Biologics and Genetic Therapies Directorate: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/brgtherap/update-miseajour/index-eng.php Medical Devices: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/medical-devices/what-new.html Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/natural-non-prescription/what-new.html   Updates from Health Canada Type of Update and Link Date Posted Notice – Update to Clinical Trial Site Information Form 29 November …

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What’s New Health Canada? January and February 2020 Updates

  By Alejandra Gomez Perez, M.Sc., Regulatory Affairs Associate   What’s New in:   Therapeutic Products Directorate: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/what-new-drug-products-health-canada.html Biologics and Genetic Therapies Directorate: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/brgtherap/update-miseajour/index-eng.php Medical Devices: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/medical-devices/what-new.html Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/natural-non-prescription/what-new.html   Updates from Health Canada   Type of Update and Link Date Posted Notice: Product Monograph Implementation Plans 13 January 2020 …

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What’s New Health Canada?

By Alejandra Gomez Perez, M.Sc., Regulatory Affairs Associate   What’s New in: Therapeutic Products Directorate: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/what-new-drug-products-health-canada.html Biologics and Genetic Therapies Directorate: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/brgtherap/update-miseajour/index-eng.php Medical Devices: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/medical-devices/what-new.html Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/natural-non-prescription/what-new.html   Updates from Health Canada   New Private Label Medical Device Licence Application Form 07 April 2020 Guidance Document: How to Complete the …

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HIAs and Other Resources to Advance Health-Informed Decisions

The Health Impact Project’s toolkit contains resources that help communities, agencies, and other organizations take action to improve public health. The toolkit offers a collection of health impact assessments, guides, and other research to support policymakers’ efforts to consider health when making decisions across sectors, such as housing, planning, and education.




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Six Ways New Federal Health IT Rules Improve Both Care and Public Health

The federal government in March released a pair of long-awaited rules that will give patients greater access to their health data and improve the flow of information across care settings.




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Some Indicators of Public Health in Philadelphia Had Improved Before COVID-19

The spread of COVID-19 is placing unprecedented strain on Philadelphia’s hospitals, public health systems, and residents. Although the full effects of the emergency have yet to be realized, newly released data from 2018 and 2019 provides insight on the state of public health in the city before the pandemic.




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Pew Urges Congress to Promote Patient Matching in Electronic Health Records to Address COVID-19

The Pew Charitable Trusts sent a letter May 4 to the leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives urging them to support improved patient matching in electronic health records to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.




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The Health Care Practitioner Channel: Connecting Industry and Medical Professionals

Selling directly to health care practitioners, supplement companies can foster open dialogue about their products; but, every regulation applies to products in this channel, too.




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National Institutes of Health Announces NIAGEN® Shows Improved Cognitive and Physical Function

ChromaDex Corp. announced NIAGEN® nicotinamide riboside prevented neurological damage and improved cognitive and physical function in a new mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.




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A Thoughtful Innovation: HP Ingredients Launches Quantum IQ for Cognitive Health

The cognitive-boost market just received another potent supplement ingredient–Quantum IQ Polygonum minus extract, exclusively from HP Ingredients, Inc. (HPI).




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Study: Eating almonds may help lower CVD risk factors and associated healthcare costs

A recent study conducted by researchers at Tufts University suggests that consuming 1.5 ounces of almonds per day, compared to no almond consumption, may help reduce CVD risk factors such as elevated LDL cholesterol levels, and as a result, reduce an individual's healthcare costs associated with treating such conditions.




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Chile Joins APEC Efforts to Bolster Health Ethics, Support SMEs and Patients

APEC continues to bolster ethics in the healthcare sector in support of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and patients, as Chile launches a consensus framework to improve ethical interactions in its healthcare system.




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Promoting Universal Health Coverage: Sharing a Prosperous and Healthy Future

Leaders from around the world gathered at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 23 September for the first-ever United Nations High-Level Meeting (UNHLM) on Universal Health Coverage (UHC): Moving Together to Build a Healthier World.




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Finalists of APEC Healthy Women, Healthy Economy Prize Announced

Equal pay, migrant workers, and maternal health are the issues highlighted by the finalists of the inaugural APEC Healthy Women, Healthy Economies Research Prize.




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Inaugural Healthy Women Health Economies Prize Announces Winning Research

A comprehensive study on the health needs of Filipino migrant workers has won the inaugural APEC Healthy Women Healthy Economies award.




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APEC Healthy Women Prize Accepting Applications

Research Promoting Women’s Health to Receive $20,000 Prize




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APEC Health Working Group Statement on COVID-19

Reflecting the discussions of the Health Working Group which met at the First APEC Senior Officials Meeting, 7-8 February 2020, Putrajaya, Malaysia




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RE: Guidance for off-label use of medical devices in Canada (Health Canada)?

From : Communities>>Regulatory Open Forum
Thank you Dinar! ------------------------------ MARIA GUDIEL Brea CA United States ------------------------------




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RE: Guidance for off-label use of medical devices in Canada (Health Canada)?

From : Communities>>Regulatory Open Forum
Thank you Richard! ------------------------------ MARIA GUDIEL Brea CA United States ------------------------------




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The Frieden Health Defense Funding Proposition

Congress is starting to consider ways to address the budget cap problem that hangs over the entire FY 21 appropriations process for non-defense discretionary (NDD) programs. Last year, Congress broke a long-running stalemate by agreeing to budget caps for FY 20 and FY 21. They decided to front-load the increases, making spending decisions (relatively) easier […]




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Principles for COVID-19 Healthcare Communications – 1 Keep it Simple, Keep it Organized

On February 21 I published a piece on LinkedIn – Communications Considerations for Medical Manufacturers as the COVID-19 Epidemic Emerges – that provided an overview of some of the communications considerations for pharma, biotech and device manufacturers related to the … Continue reading




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Principles for COVID-19 Healthcare Communications – 2 – The Virtual Medical Meeting

Virtually everyone is going virtual. Even in February, which seems like a very long time ago, many organizers began either postponing or canceling major conferences and meetings. This has included major medical meetings and given that large gatherings will be … Continue reading




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Health Canada: We do not enforce the law when Canadians poison Americans

Posted by Reed Beall and Amir Attaran (respectively Phd Candidate and Professor, University of Ottawa) On September 8, we posted a blogspot about our recent article published in Health Law in Canada, in which we write that Canada is providing haven for internet pharmacies located on Canadian soil that advertise and sell unapproved medicines illegally.  We called this a transnational transnational organized crime, which Canadian officials are knowingly facilitating.  We offered example [...]