Your work as a nurse can be hectic and stressful at the best of times. When a difficult job becomes too much, it might be tempting to snap at others. You might even entertain the notion of taking your frustration out on someone who is unable to fight back or is...
Month: January 2018
Court rejects Medicare fraud appeals
"Upon thorough review and with the benefit of oral argument, we affirm on all issues," the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit said as it shot down the hopes of a doctor and three therapists. The four had appealed their convictions on conspiracy to commit...
Eye doctor awaits sentencing for Medicare fraud conviction
Two very different portraits were painted recently of Dr. Salomon Melgen, the Harvard-trained ophthalmologist. At his sentencing hearing, Melgen was painted by prosecutors as a greedy doctor willing to subject his patients to painful treatments that were medically...
Kool Smiles and management company settle False Claims case
The U.S. Department of Justice announced recently that it has achieved a settlement with Kool Smiles dental clinics and their management company, Benevis. The clinics and management company are accused of charging Medicaid programs in 17 states for unnecessary...
New York nurse has license suspended for drug violation
We have made the point more than once in this space: New York State has tough requirements for those who want to be licensed as a nurse here. One of the requirements is vague and can be understood in more than one way: you must "be of good moral character." A licensed...
Drug maker agrees to settle kickback allegations for $210 million
United Therapeutics Corporation (UT), based in Maryland, has just agreed to settle Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act allegations for $210 million. The drug maker has also entered into a five-year corporate integrity agreement with the Department of Health and...
Accepting gifts from patients: Could you lose your license?
When nurses do their job well, patients are often appreciative. Many express their gratitude through tokens of thanks such as homemade cookies or a heartfelt letter. These gifts are probably fine to accept and can be a big part of what keeps nurses showing up day...
3 reasons you could lose your nursing license
You do good work as a nurse. Every day you go to your job to save lives and make a measurable difference in the world. Despite your hard and admirable work, you can face disciplinary action and risk losing your license if you are not careful.Knowing what behaviors or...