Executives Step Down After Medicaid Dental Scandal

There were multiple dentistry and orthodontics business in Texas that were indicted on fraud charges in Texas over the past year. Many admitted to Medicaid fraud that resulted in millions of dollars in excessive charges to the tax payers in Texas. In March, the main culprit in the Medicaid fraud case, All Smiles accepted a settlement agreement and agreed to pay the state of Texas $1.2 million. The U.S. Attorney’s Office contend that between 2004 and 2007 All Smiles submitted Medicaid claims that were not rendered or not properly documented. Other practices are suspected of providing orthodontics services that were considered cosmetic and not medically necessary or excessive services, such as steel crowns on patients that did not have permanent teeth.

While a Texas Health and Human Services representative defends the retirement or resignation of several executives associated with the Medicaid dental program is mere coincidence, it is highly suspect that they stepped down immediately after the announcement of fraud and over billing within the program.

In recent news, it has been brought to light that recruiters for the dentistry practices were being paid to offer free gifts to parents for taking their children to a specific dentist. Texas Health and Human Services strictly prohibits direct solicitation of patients. Representatives for Texas Health and Human Services cite the dentists that are suspected or guilty of fraud are a small portion of the overall Medicaid dentists in the state. They also state they are in the process of recovering tax payer contributions that were lost in the Medicaid fraud.