Chiropractic Around The World

CHIROPRACTIC AROUND THE WORLD

June 1 2002
Chiropractic Around The World
CHIROPRACTIC AROUND THE WORLD
June 1 2002

Life University Takes Another Hit: Students File Lawsuit GEORGIA: When it rains it pours. Less than two weeks after losing its chiropractic accreditation, Life UniversityJacesJZS current and former students filing suit, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Filing in Fulton County Superior Court, the plaintiffs seek a jury trial and damages. Students claim emotional andJinantial suffering because of the university's neglect in losing accredita­tion for its largest degree program. Without program accredita­tion, students will not receive licenses to practice in most states, reports the Journal. The students asked the judge to grant class-action status, ac­cording to the Journal. Chiro Wire New Law Aims to Stamp Out Prostitution Rings in Chiropractic Practices CALIFORNIA: Becauseahandful of^Californiaeniropracticjuacz tices offered more than massage therapy to customers, the in-dustry faces state requirements that changeJn'ring_poiicies_fbr massageJherapisls. Under a state Republican directed law, California cities can now require licensing and training for massage therapists who work for chiropractors. Prior to the legislation, unlicensed assis­tants could work for chiropractors. Fountain Valley plans to be the first city to enforce the law aimed_ajL stjampingjmLprostiliiliQnjrings^spr ingingJLirLirLchirQr praclic_pr_aciicfis, the Los Angeles Times reports. State officials claim the rule will help them dismantle office fronts, behind which unlicensed assistants operate prostitution business under the protection of licensed chiropractors. The state chiropractic board has already confiscated a dozen practice licenses in the last two years, and continues to investigate twenty others. Chiro Wire Chiropractic "Fraud Buster" Named "Investigator of the Year" ILLINOIS: Lewis D. "Dennie" Huggins._a_speciaLagent_ofjthe National Insurance Crime.BureauiNICB)jree_eiyed_theJnv_esliga^ Lorj2f_the_YeaLAward frQnLthe_lnternalionaLAssQcialion_o£Spe-ciaLInvestigative_linits_(lASiU). The award recognizes the posi­tive impact a fraud investigator's efforts had on their special investigative unit, company, the insurance industry and commu- ■ nity, in addition to the unique and exceptional qualities of the investigation. The West Virginia-based NICB, newly promoted to Area Direc­tor, Dennie Huggins, was cited for his outstanding efforts in uncovering a countrywide fraud scam of nearly 700 chiropractic clinics in 35_ states involving an estimated S50 million in bogus claims. Huggins uncovered the "Halstead" system, named after Ronald L. Halstead. the chiropractor consultant who developed it. The alleged scam involved chiropractors who were taught to seLiip multiple corporations that used ajnedicaLdoctor to allow 1 the chiropractor to bill under the medical doctor's CT I code, generating greater revenues than if the proper code, had been used. www.nich.org Chiropractor Sentenced to Prison Term for Disguising Services as Medical Rehab NEW YORK: A^subutbanliew^orkjEhirQpractor has been_senz tenced to serve a term of 33 months in prison and pay $2.3 million incriminalforfeiuiie for his role in a multi-million-dollai .schcmeJo disguise chiropractic services as rehabilitative medical services. The chiropractor, Andrew Orlander of Chappaqua, N.Y., and his corporate entity, Allstate Managed Services, Inc., pleaded guilty March 7 to charges of conspiracy, health care fraud, and mail fraud arising from the operation of medical facilities in Westchester and Rockland counties, north of New York City. In January_2£!QQ, Orlander, and his company, together with four other defendants, were charged in a 115-count indictment with converting chiro-practic practices into false medical practices, thus allowing Orlander to bill for services at higher rates, conceal his control over the operations, and reap substantial profits. As part of the scheme, Orlander paid a physician, Mark Greenbaum, to serve as the nominal owner of the facilities for the purposes of meeting regulatory requirements, prosecutors charged. Greenbaum pleaded guilty March 6 and is awaiting sentencing, prosecutors said. The three other defendants in the case also are awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty, prosecu­tors said, among them, another chiropractor, Alexander Regalbuto. InJnYestigating_Jke_cas.e^jLinderc.CLYer_agents_pQsing_as_personal injury^ aItDjrne_y^_w£Le__aMe_tQ_obiairLJalse_and_misleading letters and reports from the medical facilities for use in litigation againsl insurance carriers, prosecutors said. In sentencing Orlander, Judge Charles L. Brieant of U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York also gave the Allstate corporate entity two years' probation, with the condition that it dissolve within six months. 25 Indicted in Global Child Porn Ring CALIFORNIA: A Clovis chiropractor has been indicted_ior_aL legedly being at the heart of an international internet child-pot nography ring. So far, twenty-five people across the United States and Europe have been charged with conspiring to sexually ex­ploit children. Of those, four were indicted in their home coun­tries of England and Germany, the rest in the United States. EQUc£_beganJnvestigathig_after_authoxities in Qenmarkxeceived a tip from a charity about a picture on the internet of a child being molested. Information found on a Danish couple's computer eventually led to a chiropractor in Clovis. Police discovered more than 1 million images on 450 CD's in the DCs office, many with pictures of the children of his patients, relatives or neighbors. years in federal prison. The Fresno Bee & Associated Pressl Pass on the information to warn other D. C. 's about events that are really happening to chiropractors. When you see a " yellow page " 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.