California Dental Association Comments on Medi-Cal Fraud.SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--June 9, 1999-- In response to the arrest of 14 individuals for allegedly defrauding the state Medi-Cal program, the California Dental Association (CDA (1) (Compact Disc Audio) The compact disc file extension that is seen on the computer in Explorer or some other file manager. CDA files are actually pointers to the locations of the individual tracks on the CD medium. See CD-DA. ) supports all efforts of law enforcement in investigating these cases and also pending legislation to further deter dentists from engaging in illegal billing practices. "The California Dental Association fully supports California state and local officials in their investigations of dentists who engage in Medi-Cal fraud in the dental office," said Timothy F. Comstock, executive director of the association. "The actions taken by the state Attorney General against the two dentists in the Bay Area and San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. should send a strong message to others who may be involved in fraudulent activity that they will be investigated and charged for their crimes." In recent years, CDA has supported numerous legislative measures to stiffen stiff·en tr. & intr.v. stiff·ened, stiff·en·ing, stiff·ens To make or become stiff or stiffer. stiff the penalties for engaging in fraudulent Medi-Cal claims. In 1999, CDA is sponsoring legislation to discourage dentists from filing fraudulent cases by scrutinizing claims for substantial restorative re·stor·a·tive adj. 1. Of or relating to restoration. 2. Tending or having the power to restore. n. A medicine or other agent that helps to restore health, strength, or consciousness. services, such as fillings or crowns on an individual patient in one dental visit. SB 856 (Brulte), currently before the Assembly Health Committee, would require dentists submitting claims involving more than six teeth on a single patient to submit copies of pretreatment pretreatment, n the protocols required before beginning therapy, usually of a diagnostic nature; before treatment. pretreatment estimate, n See predetermination. X-rays to the state Department of Health Services Department of Health Services may refer to:
More than 25 years ago, CDA initiated its own statewide peer review system to resolve disputes of patients against a member dentist dentist /den·tist/ (den´tist) a person with a degree in dentistry and authorized to practice dentistry. den·tist n. A person who is trained and licensed to practice dentistry. regarding the appropriateness of treatment, insurance coverages and potentially irregular billing practices. CDA's peer review system allows the patient to have their dispute resolved outside of a court of law at no charge. With this system, only available to patients of CDA-member dentists, consumers have an additional mechanism to resolve disputes with practitioners. More than half of the peer review cases are decided in favor of the patient. |
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