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Stealing Money using the Paycheck Protection Program 150 150 Dan Frith
  • Dan Frith

Stealing Money using the Paycheck Protection Program

Remember the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that ended back in May of 2021.  The federal-backed loan that helped businesses keep their workforce employed during the COVID-19 crisis. Qualifying business were eligible for loan forgiveness…and most loans were forgiven. We are now learning that many unscrupulous businesses and business owners took advantage of “free money” never…

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Should you allow your child to have Anesthesia for Dental Procedures? 150 150 Dan Frith
  • Dan Frith

Should you allow your child to have Anesthesia for Dental Procedures?

The answer is “maybe” and “no.” This issue came to mind as a result of reading this column in the Roanoke Times.  The article was written by Cathy A. Harrison, a certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA).  CRNAs are advanced practice registered nurses with graduate-level education.  They are not doctors and do not have the training…

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The Cap on Virginia Medical Malpractice Cases 150 150 Dan Frith
  • Dan Frith

The Cap on Virginia Medical Malpractice Cases

I just read about an interesting medical malpractice case report from Iowa. The family of a boy whose brain was severely injured during birth at an Iowa City hospital has been awarded $97.4 million — believed to be the largest medical malpractice verdict in Iowa’s history. The family’s lawsuit contended the boy’s brain damage was…

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Education Fraud 150 150 Bo Frith
  • Bo Frith

Education Fraud

Fraud in federal and state education programs may be reported by whistleblowers. Under the False Claims Act and other statutes, whistleblowers are entitled to significant financial rewards and are protected from retaliation. The U.S. higher education system is excellent. But like many things, it requires significant financial investment. Each year, federal, state, and municipal governments…

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Whistleblowers for PPP Fraud 150 150 Bo Frith
  • Bo Frith

Whistleblowers for PPP Fraud

In response to widespread economic uncertainty due to COVID-19, the federal government enacted the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Because that program is especially vulnerable to fraud, whistleblowers are key players in addressing illegal conduct. Just last week, a Roanoke city jury convicted Roanoke City Councilman Robert Jeffrey of fraudulently obtaining pandemic relief funds.[1] Mr. Jeffrey…

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How Can I Pay For Nursing Home Care? 150 150 Bo Frith
  • Bo Frith

How Can I Pay For Nursing Home Care?

Paying for nursing home care is a complicated and rather grim topic. Nevertheless, it is an important issue for families. Seven out of every ten seniors will need long-term care at some point during their lifetime.[1] Without a standalone long-term care policy, out-of-pocket costs could range from $20,000 to $100,000 a year, depending on the…

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Top 5 Medical Myths in American Healthcare 2022 (part I) 150 150 Lauren Ellerman

Top 5 Medical Myths in American Healthcare 2022 (part I)

It is my daily privilege to speak with families who call our office looking for help when they aren’t sure where else to turn. And in the thousands of conversations we have had with Virginians over the last 20 years, we hear recurring themes, and myths about modern healthcare. Beliefs that patients hold to be…

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What are medically unnecessary procedures? 150 150 Bo Frith
  • Bo Frith

What are medically unnecessary procedures?

Medically unnecessary procedures are health care items and services that are not “reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of illness or injury.”[1] The False Claims Act provides a mechanism for individuals to “blow the whistle” on instances of waste, fraud, or abuse for systemic unnecessary procedures in healthcare settings. Individuals who bring a…

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Why People Become Whistleblowers 150 150 Bo Frith
  • Bo Frith

Why People Become Whistleblowers

There are many reasons why an individual “blows the whistle.” The debate often centers on whether these individuals are frivolous, disgruntled employees seeking financial gain or people with legitimate concerns who suffered personal loss. A wealth of academic research clearly shows it is the latter. The False Claims Act is the primary vehicle empowering whistleblowers…

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What is Medical Malpractice? 150 150 Dan Frith
  • Dan Frith

What is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice happens when a doctor, hospital, pharmacist, nurse, or other health professional injures a patient by acting negligently. This negligence can occur in a variety of different ways, including improper treatment, misdiagnosis, lack of follow-up, or surgical mistake.  Medical malpractice causes more than 250,000 deaths per year and is the third largest cause of death…

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What is a Whistleblower? 150 150 Dan Frith
  • Dan Frith

What is a Whistleblower?

A whistleblower is someone who reports waste, fraud, abuse, or dangers to public health and safety to someone who is in the position to rectify the wrongdoing. A whistleblower typically works inside of the organization where the wrongdoing is taking place; however, being a company “insider” is not essential. What matters is that the individual discloses information about wrongdoing that otherwise…

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Outside Whistleblowers Exposing Healthcare Fraud 150 150 Bo Frith
  • Bo Frith

Outside Whistleblowers Exposing Healthcare Fraud

  The typical whistleblower is often an aggrieved employee who brings to light his employer’s fraudulent conduct. These individuals, often called internal whistleblowers, are important in combatting healthcare fraud. There remains, however, a different kind of whistleblower. Some whistleblowers are individuals or entities that are not employed by the company who committed the wrongdoing. These…

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