as Unlicensed Chiropractor Sentenced PENNSYLVANIA—An unlicensed chiropractor w; ordered to spend four months wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet and perform 300 hours of community service. He also was told he could not practice chiropractic medicine for the next 3 1/2 years while on probation. Police say 57-year-old Patrick Russamano of Lower Nazareth Township practiced chiropractic medicine for 30 years without a license. Representatives from six insurance companies told Northampton County Judge Kimberly McFadden that Russamano collected more than $375,000 in fees over the past 20 years for providing chiropractic care even though he held no state-mandated license. Defense attorney Philip Lauer said Russamano took the exam to acquire the license but the results were lost. Russamano graduated from chiropractic college in 1971 and practiced for more than three decades without receiving the license. Russamano even teaches classes in chiropractic medicine, Lauer said. Lauer called Russamano a "good citizen" who "made a mistake — a mistake that cost him dearly." More than 40 patients and friends wrote reference letters calling Russamano a great doctor and a man of integrity. For practicing chiropractic medicine without a license, McFadden sentenced Russamano to six months of probation and ordered him to pay a $ 1,000 fine and perform 200 hours of community service. During the first four months of his probation, Russamano must wear an electronic monitoring bracelet around his ankle so the probation department can track his whereabouts. McFadden sentenced Russamano to an additional three years of probation for insurance fraud. She added an additional $5,000 fine and 100 more hours of community service for this charge. The Express-Times Special Legislation Gives Bridgeport Dean Chiropractic License CONNECTICUT—The dean of the University of Bridgeport's College of Chiropractic now has a license, thanks to state legislation tailored just for him. Buried 21 sections into the legislature's budget bill, the provision requires the Department of Public Health to issue a chiropractic license to graduates of an accredited school of chiropractic who have a license in at least two other states, have practiced for 20 years and served as a dean of an accredited chiropractic college in Connecticut for at least five years. Only Frank Zolli matches all four requirements, the Connecticut Post reported. Zolli had failed in his one attempt to pass an exam needed to get a license in Connecticut, but has been a practicing chiropractor in New York and New Jersey for 23 years. Lawmakers and public health officials said other exceptions have been written into the law in the past, providing licenses for deserving health care professionals with credentials equal to or greater than others practicing in the state. Zolli said a Connecticut license will allow him to answer student's questions about specific cases, which until now would be considered practicing without a license. "If someone asks me to look at a patient's chart, I couldn't really give them an opinion. In New York or New Jersey I could, but Connecticut is where I teach," he said. Zolli has taught courses on the history and philosophy of chiropractic, not clinical or practical courses. The Associated Press Five Auto Insurers Sue Five Chiropractic Clinics MINNESOTA—Five auto insurers have joined together in Minneapolis to sue five chiropractic clinics they said fraudulently bilked them out of millions of dollars. Progressive, Allstate, Encompass Insurance (through its underwriting company Continental Insurance Co.), the Mutual Service Insurance Cos. and Western National Mutual Insurance Group filed the civil lawsuit in Hennepin County District Court against the five clinics, their alleged owners and four chiropractors. The suit alleges the defendants organized a scheme to steer accident victims to their clinics in order to defraud the auto insurers by hilling for unnecessary treatments or for services not performed. The insurers are seeking $3 million in damages. Based on a two-year investigation by the insurers, the suit alleges that the clinics got motor vehicle accident reports and solicited victims by phone to come to the clinics for treatment. "Runners" or "cappers" would transport the solicited victims to and from the clinics and were allegedly paid for each victim they delivered. The clinics allegedly developed a routine course of extensive and medically unnecessary treatments for victims, regardless of their actual injuries, racking up thousands of dollars in bogus billing to insurers, the companies said. The case illustrates "the need for further reform to Minnesota's no-fault insurance system," Bruce Raines, coordinator for Mutual Service, said in a statement. Under the state's no-fault system, each driver's auto insurance coverage pays for his medical expenses no matter who caused the accident. While the law is intended to pay auto victims faster by avoiding delays and expenses of lawsuit, the system is contributing to fraudulent activity, the insurers said. Until recently, Minnesota was one of only a handful of states without a state level insurance fraud investigative unit. It established its own fraud unit in April when a new law was adopted. The new law makes it illegal to be a runner or a capper, the insurers said. Best Week via BestWire\ Pass on the information to warn other D. C. 's about events thai are really happening to chiropractors. When you see a "yellowpage " article in your local, regional, or national newspaper about chiropractic or a fellow chiropractor, fax, e-mail or mail it to us at TAC. For further information, fax: 1-305-716-9212 or see page 4 for our mailing address.
