President Donald Trump has vowed to both restore the rule of law in this country and solve the nation’s opioid crisis — and the Department of Justice (DOJ) just made a major move that involves both of those issues.
The DOJ recently unveiled criminal charges against 601 individuals, at least 100 of whom worked in the medical field, who were involved in opioid prescription and distribution schemes targeting health care programs that cost federal health care programs and insurers more than $2 billion in fraudulent costs.
A big announcement
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the recent takedown of the massive fraud scheme in a news conference on Thursday. This announcement was part of a broader, ongoing effort to expose individuals who have been exploiting and profiting off of the opioid abuse epidemic.
“This year, we are charging 601 people, including 76 doctors, 23 pharmacists, 19 nurses, and other medical personnel with more than $2 billion in medical fraud,” Sessions said.
“Much of this fraud is related to our ongoing opioid crisis — which is the deadliest drug epidemic in American history,” the attorney general continued. “Some of our most trusted medical professionals look at their patients — vulnerable people suffering from addiction — and they see dollar signs.”
Sessions revealed that nearly 200 doctors and an additional 220 medical personnel have been charged with opioid-related crimes since January 2017, with just 16 of those doctors being responsible for the illicit prescribing of roughly 20.3 million pills nationwide.
A special task force has already indicted more than 6,500 individuals for opioid-related crimes, and this latest crackdown netted another 162 individuals — 32 of whom are doctors — who were involved in the illegal distribution of opioid drugs.
More Medicare fraud
One example of the criminal fraud unraveled by this most recent investigation involved a doctor who had defrauded Medicare of more than $112 million while illicitly distributing more than 2.2 million doses of opioid drugs like fentanyl and oxycodone.
Another 13 individuals were charged in a fraud ring that siphoned $126 million away from a program intended to aid military health care.
“These cases are vitally important not only to the victims of these fraudsters, but to the entire country. Many of these fraudsters have stolen our tax dollars — and many have helped flood our streets with drugs,” Sessions said. “These are despicable crimes and we’re not going to tolerate them.”
The attorney general made clear that the DOJ is “just getting started” when it comes to fraud and opioid enforcement. He warned: “We are sending a clear message to criminals across the country: we will find you. We will bring you to justice. And you will pay a very high price for what you have done.”
[show_poll poll_id=529]
This is huge news in terms of cracking down on both the opioid abuse epidemic and health care-related fraud, two issues that have been wracking our nation for some time.
Hopefully, as Sessions stated, this is just a small part of a larger, still ongoing effort to bring justice to those who are abusing and exploiting the system.
837 Responses
Looking through this article reminds me of my previous roommate!
This blog was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I’ve found something that helped me. Kudos!
This design is spectacular! You certainly know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Excellent job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
Right here is the perfect website for everyone who wishes to find out about this topic. You realize a whole lot its almost hard to argue with you (not that I personally will need to…HaHa). You definitely put a brand new spin on a subject that’s been discussed for many years. Excellent stuff, just wonderful!
Very nice blog post. I certainly love this website. Thanks!
I’d should test with you here. Which is not something I often do! I take pleasure in studying a put up that can make folks think. Additionally, thanks for allowing me to remark!
It had been the very best sandcastle he had ever seen.
Good day! I just want to give you a huge thumbs up for your excellent information you’ve got here on this post. I’ll be returning to your website for more soon.
I blog frequently and I truly appreciate your information. This great article has truly peaked my interest. I am going to book mark your site and keep checking for new details about once a week. I subscribed to your RSS feed as well.
It’s an remarkable post for all the online visitors; they will get benefit from it I am sure.
Very efficiently written story. It will be beneficial to anybody who employess it, including me. Keep doing what you are doing – for sure i will check out more posts.
Wow! Thank you! I continually wanted to write on my site something like that. Can I include a part of your post to my site?
Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wished to mention that I’ve truly enjoyed surfing around your blog posts. In any case I will be subscribing on your rss feed and I hope you write again very soon!
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. That is a very well written article. I’ll make sure to bookmark it and come back to read extra of your helpful info. Thanks for the post. I will definitely comeback.
Simply desire to say your article is as astonishing. The clearness for your post is simply cool and that i can suppose you’re an expert in this subject. Well together with your permission allow me to take hold of your RSS feed to keep up to date with drawing close post. Thanks a million and please keep up the enjoyable work.
Fantastic goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you are just too magnificent. I really like what you have acquired here, really like what you’re stating and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it sensible. I can’t wait to read far more from you. This is really a terrific web site.
Great post. I was checking continuously this blog and I’m inspired! Extremely helpful info specially the last part 🙂 I care for such information a lot. I used to be seeking this certain info for a long time. Thank you and best of luck.
Wonderful blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News. Do you have any suggestions on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Appreciate it|
Great work! This is the kind of info that are supposed to be shared around the net. Disgrace on Google for not positioning this submit higher! Come on over and talk over with my website . Thank you =)
I think this is among the most important information for me. And i’m glad reading your article. But want to remark on few general things, The site style is great, the articles is really excellent : D. Good job, cheers
I want to to thank you for this good read!! I certainly enjoyed every bit of it. I’ve got you book-marked to check out new things you post…
I love it whenever people get together and share ideas. Great blog, keep it up!
The next time I read a blog, Hopefully it won’t fail me as much as this particular one. After all, Yes, it was my choice to read, however I really believed you would probably have something useful to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could possibly fix if you weren’t too busy looking for attention.
You need to be a part of a contest for one of the most useful websites on the web. I most certainly will highly recommend this web site!
Hi, I do believe this is a great web site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I am going to revisit once again since I book-marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to help other people.
Can I just say what a relief to find a person that genuinely knows what they are talking about on the web. You certainly realize how to bring a problem to light and make it important. More people must read this and understand this side of the story. I was surprised that you’re not more popular since you certainly possess the gift.
Hello There. I discovered your weblog using msn. This is a very well written article. I’ll make sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your helpful info. Thanks for the post. I will definitely comeback.
After examine a couple of of the weblog posts in your web site now, and I really like your way of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark web site list and might be checking back soon. Pls check out my website online as properly and let me know what you think.
I’m happy with exactly how you have dealth with this subject matter in such a exact method. I discovered your web-site although searching by means of Google and I’ll need to admit that I’ve subscribed to it already.
Amazin!
I used to be able to find good info from your blog posts.
It’s hard to find knowledgeable individuals within this topic, nevertheless, you sound like there’s more you are preaching about! Thanks
Spot on with this write-up, I must say i believe this excellent website needs much more consideration. I’ll probably be once again to learn a great deal more, many thanks that information.
This is a topic which is close to my heart… Best wishes! Exactly where are your contact details though?
At this time I am going away to do my breakfast, later than having my breakfast coming over again to read more news.|
pay per click programs are really great, i could earn some decent cash from it,,
Your house is valueble for me. Thanks!…
Hmm it appears like your blog ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to everything. Do you have any suggestions for inexperienced blog writers? I’d definitely appreciate it.
Undeniably believe that that you said. Your favorite reason seemed to be on the net the simplest thing to bear in mind of. I say to you, I certainly get irked while folks think about concerns that they plainly don’t recognise about. You managed to hit the nail upon the highest and outlined out the entire thing with no need side effect , other folks could take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thank you
hello there and thank you for your info – I have definitely picked up something new from right here. I did however expertise several technical points using this website, since I experienced to reload the website lots of times previous to I could get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your web host is OK? Not that I’m complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will very frequently affect your placement in google and can damage your high quality score if ads and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I am adding this RSS to my e-mail and can look out for much more of your respective fascinating content. Make sure you update this again very soon..