Medicare

Perry Spokesperson Welcomes Obama to Texas. Perry Himself? Not So Much

Sometimes, silence truly is deafening. Rick Perry spends an awful lot of time engaging anyone who will listen around the country on why they ought to move to Texas. It's good for business. We got lots o' guns. We let you live the way you want to live. We don't have no dad-gum income taxes. We're jus ... More >>

Thieves' Bazaar: Medicare Fraud

Hospitals, doctors and dealers have made Medicare the nation's sweetest crime. The feds are now trying to shutter the door.

The Ten Most Corrupt Tax Loopholes

If Mitt Romney won't tell you which need to be closed, we will.

6 Songs for LBJ Day... One's About His Dick

Today is officially Lyndon Baines Johnson Day here in the state of Texas. The late 36th president's birthday was hallowed in his home state after he died in 1973 of a massive heart attack at the age of 64. He would have been 104 today. Johnson ascended to the presidency from the vice-presidency aft ... More >>

How to Speak Republican

Leaked document reveals the secrets of the GOP's coded language.

Your Gonzo Guide to the Republican National Convention

From cash-hungry strippers to protesters dressed as vaginas.

Jack L. Baker: Radiologist To Pay $650,000 To Settle Kickback Case

A man described by prosecutors as "a prominent Houston radiologist" has agreed to pay $650,000 to settle claims that he provided kickbacks to get physicians to refer business his way. Jack L. Baker of the Fairmount Diagnostic Center in Pasadena entered into the agreement today, settling claims file ... More >>

Ike Odelugo: Concert Promoter Gets Six Years for Medicare Fraud

Aghaegbuna "Ike" Odelugo of Sugar Land is a concert promoter, we're told, but that can be a rough business to make a buck in these days. Ripping off Medicare, however, can be a breeze -- until you get caught. Odelugo, 39, was sentenced to six years in federal prison today on health care fraud and ... More >>

Jodi Leonore Latson: Quite the Alleged Medicare Defrauder

Houston makes the fraud lineup.​If you're going to defraud the U.S. government, go big. It's not like they're going to miss a stray $62 million or so. Thus was the thinking of Houstonian Jodi Leonore Latson, 45, who -- unfortunately for her -- ended up as one of the bigger fish caught in a na ... More >>

If The U.S. Defaults: 5 Alternatives to Government Checks

We still don't know whether a deal will make it through Congress or whether instead the Tea Party will drive the nation off the economic cliff. If the U.S. defaults and all of a sudden can't write checks, things could get....interesting. Fortunately, there are back-up plams. 5. Social Security ch ... More >>

Christina Clardy: West U Doctor, Two Others Convicted in $30 Million Medicaid Fraud

Christina Clardy among those convicted.​Christina Clardy, a 61-year-old West U doctor, was convicted with two other people of running a massive Medicaid-and-money-laundering scam that somehow involved Nigerian tankers, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced today. Kenneth Anokam, 56, and Niger ... More >>

Doris Vinitski: Paid $1,000-Per-Patient Kickbacks To Recruit For Medicare Fraud

Calling all "patients"​How lucrative can ripping off Medicare be? Lucrative enough that one scamster was offering up to $1,000 a patient to "recruiters" who sent customers her way. Doris Vinitski, 46, the owner of Onward Medical Supply, signed up the patients and then started billing Medicare ... More >>

U.S. Attorney Charges Ten with Sex-Trafficking at Local Bars

U.S. Attorney José Angel Moreno announced two indictments this afternoon.​U.S Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today an indictment against ten defendants allegedly involved in a human trafficking ring at a local nightclub and restaurant. The defendants, who include the owners and several ... More >>

Mickey Gilley Talks Rehabbing From '09 Spinal Injury

gilleys.com​Monday, in Rocks Off's our review of Jerry Lee Lewis's show in Winnie, Texas, we mentioned that Mickey Gilley, legendary country pianist and proprietor of probably the most famous honky-tonk in the universe was sitting at stage right. Gilley and Jerry Lee are cousins, about a six ... More >>

Patrick Ita: The Genius Who Combined Medicare and Katrina Fraud

Like combining chocolate and peanut butter​In the Southern District of Texas, U.S. Attorneys often deal with two kinds of fraud: scams involving a) Medicare, or b) Hurricanes Katrina or Rita. It takes a special genius to combine the two, and apparently Patrick Ita is that man. Prosecutors un ... More >>

Third World

Problems n a First World country

FAIR-y Tales: Mexican Macro-economics

FAIR-y Tales: Whose Dole Is It, Anyway?

Ruth Netscher: Whistleblower Claims UT-Health Science Center Used Mental-Health Patients As Guinea Pigs

Research done without consent, suit says​A former doctor and faculty member at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston claims that she was fired because she blew the whistle on other doctors who used mental health patients as research guinea pigs without proper or legal consent. ... More >>

For Five Bucks I'd...

What Texans would do for a Lincoln

Tea Party: Coming Soon To Texas License Plates?

Courtesy MyPlates.comJust a historical reference, nothing political​Texas -- ever eager to do its part to foment rightwing nuttism -- may be giving official state sanction to the Tea Party, via license plates.New proposed license plates from MyPlates.com are out for review, and they include the "D ... More >>

Sandra Thurman Patino: Motorized Wheelchair Scam FAIL, Loses $1M & A Cadillac To Feds

The "Jazzy" model, no kidding​Sandra Thurman Patino, 46, had a pretty good deal going with a Medicare scam involving motorized wheelchairs, but now she's headed to federal prison for four years.Plus she's giving up the $1.1 million she had in the bank, and a Cadillac, to the feds.Patino was senten ... More >>

Credit, Perry and Shundrekia's Story

Houston Press readers weigh in

Good Lord, Was Tom DeLay Drunk On Hardball?

Sugar Land's Tom DeLay has wormed his way back into the spotlight lately via the announcement he'll be on Dancing With The Stars.He showed up on Chris Matthews' Hardball the other day, and we've got to ask: Was he drunk? (DeLay, not Matthews.)Check out the video for yourself.Visit msnbc.com for Brea ... More >>

It's Only Going To Get Hotter In Houston, Group Says

​Think it's hot in Houston now? Just want for....(switch to stentorian voice)...The Future!!!!That's the word from Climate Central, a non-profit scientific group that apparently believes all this climate-change mumbo-jumbo the socialist-fascists are trying to throw at us when they're not trying to ... More >>

Conservatives Defend Whole Foods While Liberals Boycott

Photo by That Other Paper​Irate progressives are calling for a boycott of Whole Foods after the health food store chain's founder John Mackey came out against Obama's efforts at reforming health care in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece last week. After stating his fears about socialized med ... More >>

Houston Is Epicenter Of Big Medicare-Fraud Sweep

​Houston is at the center of a big sweep against Medicare fraud announced today by the feds. A grand jury here issued indictments involving more than $16 million in fraud, and agents went out today and arrested 32 people in Houston, New York, Boston and Louisiana.Sayeth the feds: The Strike Force ... More >>

Cover Me

Kathern Cathey thought she had an insurance policy that would save her life. Not exactly.

Methodist Hospital Gets Hit For Medicaid Fraud

Seal courtesy DOJUsually when the Justice Department announces the settlement of a Medicaid-fraud case, it's a small-time operation dealing with wheelchairs or even adult diapers.Not today.Today they've nabbed a nearly-$10 million settlement out of Methodist Hospital here for defrauding the federal ... More >>

Out On A Limb Over Rosharon, For A Good Cause

Photo by davemasterking2000If you happen to be driving through Rosharon Saturday and see 50 skydivers headed toward you, don't panic - it's not Red Dawn come to life. And don't freak out over the fact that they all just happen to be amputees, 'cause it's not a coincidence: It's the second annual Air ... More >>

Workers Comp and Rescued Dogs

Mutual Decisions

Gloom And Doom For Uninsured Texas Children

Whistleblower Wins Suit, Even Without Feds' Help

Texas Continues To Shine At Being Uninsured

TAX TIME!

SPECIAL DÍA DE LOS IMPUESTOS EDITION

Mail Call

Unhappy Customer

Whose Best Interests?

Margie Hill got sick, became a ward of the county and was moved to a nursing home. Son Marvin wants her back home. But she can't get out.

A Gap in Coverage

Critics of GoldStar ambulance service say it's late to emergencies, cares for profits over patients, and doctors its books. But without it, there's nothing.

Million-Hour Madness

Religious charities discover state welfare reform savings are based in part on their backs

Women's Movement

Ladies take the lead in Houston Ballet's Women@Art

Moby for Veep

John Kerry should hit the decks for his running mate

Advantage: MILFs

Women 35 and up serve it up

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Letters, Week of November 22

Fed Up with Feds, Still Reeling, Diabolical Docs

Paying the Price

Hospital district officials wanted a simple one-sentence policy on immigrant health care. What they got instead was a criminal probe and plenty of politics.

Methadone Meltdown

Dr. Amos and Cecilia Ozumba ran Houston Maintenance Clinic for four years. Have they finally run it into the ground?

News of the Weird

The President's Analyst

Holistic Touch

Some ex-patients credit the mind-body therapy of New Age healer JoAnne Mandel with saving their lives. Others say her compassion stopped at the bottom line.

Letters