Rick Scott wins

[wrobert]

So, it's a vast left wing conspiracy?

Yes it was. Dozens of hospitals were charged. Most were cleared of just about everything. And people blame Scott yet he was never questioned or charged with anything. Those Clintons are a sneaky bunch.

 

[idlewind]

Yes it was. Dozens of hospitals were charged. Most were cleared of just about everything. And people blame Scott yet he was never questioned or charged with anything. Those Clintons are a sneaky bunch.

They don't call him "Slick Willy" for nothing:roll:

 

[GoodWitch58]

PolitiFact | Rick Scott and the fraud case of Columbia/HCA

Columbia/HCA history

Scott started what was first Columbia in the spring of 1987, purchasing two El Paso, Texas, hospitals. He quickly grew the company by purchasing more hospitals. A hospital network created efficiencies. Efficiencies created profits.

In 1994, Scott?s Columbia purchased Tennessee-headquartered HCA and its 100 hospitals, and merged the companies. When Scott resigned as CEO in 1997, Columbia/HCA had grown to more than 340 hospitals, 135 surgery centers and 550 home health locations in 37 states and two foreign countries, Scott?s campaign says. The company employed more than 285,000 people.

Now about Scott?s departure in 1997.

That year, federal agents went public with an investigation into the company, first seizing records from four El Paso-area hospitals and then expanding across the country. In time it became apparent that the investigation focused on whether Columbia/HCA bilked Medicare and Medicaid.

Scott resigned as CEO in July 1997, less than four months after the inquiry became public and before the depth of the investigation became clear. Company executives said had Scott remained CEO, the entire chain could have been in jeopardy.

At issue, Scott says, is that he wanted to fight the federal government accusations. The corporate board of the publicly traded company wanted to settle.

And settle, Columbia/HCA did.

In December 2000, the U.S. Justice Department announced what it called the largest government fraud settlement in U.S. history when Columbia/HCA agreed to pay $840 million in criminal fines and civil damages and penalties.

Among the revelations from the 2000 settlement, which all apply to when Scott was CEO:

* Columbia billed Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal programs for tests that were not necessary or ordered by physicians;
* The company attached false diagnosis codes to patient records to increase reimbursement to the hospitals;
* The company illegally claimed non-reimbursable marketing and advertising costs as community education;
* Columbia billed the government for home health care visits for patients who did not qualify to receive them.

The government settled a second series of similar claims with Columbia/HCA in 2002 for an additional $881 million.

The total fine: $1.7 billion.

Plea deals, fraud

As part of the 2000 settlement, Columbia/HCA agreed to plead guilty to at least 14 corporate felonies. A corporate felony comes with financial penalties but not jail time, since a corporation can?t be sent to prison.

Among the 14 felonies, Columbia/HCA pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiracy to defraud the United States.

Also, four Florida-based Columbia/HCA executives were indicted. Two were convicted of defrauding Medicare in 1999 and were sentenced to prison, only to have those convictions overturned on appeal. A third executive was acquitted and a jury failed to reach a verdict on the fourth.

http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/rickscottbillmccollum/2010/08/22/id/368131

By: Steve Forbes

As someone who twice ran for president, I understand the circus atmosphere that can surround a campaign, but I?m not sure I?ve seen anything like the week Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott has had. Even as Scott remains unwilling to address his true role in the HCA/Columbia hospital chain?s criminal conduct when he was its CEO, new questions have been raised about allegedly similar fraudulent practices at his most recent healthcare venture.

So, we want this guy as Governor of Florida? Even if what he claims is true: that he did not know about the fraud...do we want a Governor who has no idea what his staff/department heads are doing?

 

[30A Skunkape]

Make it the place in Emerald Coast Plaza. I am in the south probably more than you are in the north and the dawgs were pretty good there last week.

Done!

 

[wrobert]

PolitiFact | Rick Scott and the fraud case of Columbia/HCAForbes: You Can't Trust Rick Scott



So, we want this guy as Governor of Florida? Even if what he claims is true: that he did not know about the fraud...do we want a Governor who has no idea what his staff/department heads are doing?

Want? What has that got to do with anything? You act like you have a choice. Problem is you are actually going to do research and do what you think is best for the State. But the other 90% are not going to do that and when it is over with at the end of the day, >50%+1=Rick Scott.

 

[scooterbug44]

Pled guilty to 14 corporate felonies, paid $1.7 billion in fines - but how much did the taxpayers shell out for all those bogus claims?

My guess is we paid for most of the robocalls driving me nuts. :shock:

 

[wrobert]

Pled guilty to 14 corporate felonies, paid $1.7 billion in fines - but how much did the taxpayers shell out for all those bogus claims?

My guess is we paid for most of the robocalls driving me nuts. :shock:

Rick Scott did not plead guilty to anything. Was not even questioned. Nothing but a smoke screen put up by the big government liberal democrats. Heck if we have to believe Rick Scott was responsible for all of that stuff then I guess Alex Sink was responsible for the bailout needed by Bank of America. She was in charge after all.

 

[30ashopper]

Rick Scott did not plead guilty to anything. Was not even questioned. Nothing but a smoke screen put up by the big government liberal democrats. Heck if we have to believe Rick Scott was responsible for all of that stuff then I guess Alex Sink was responsible for the bailout needed by Bank of America. She was in charge after all.

Interesting observation. She was buddy buddy with Ken Lewis, referring to him as her mentor in her 2006 campaign. I guess if we apply the same logic Scott detractors are applying, she's as dirty as Lewis is, or anyone else at BofA that worked underneath her.

 

[Here4Good]

How big was the fine against B of A for fraud?

Now, I'm not saying that they don't deserve one, but I will say that if you can find information about internal accounting practices prior to 2006, when Alex Sink left B of A, which were illegal or immoral or sketchy, then I'd be interested.

 

[idlewind]

How big was the fine against B of A for fraud?

Now, I'm not saying that they don't deserve one, but I will say that if you can find information about internal accounting practices prior to 2006, when Alex Sink left B of A, which were illegal or immoral or sketchy, then I'd be interested.

I suppose you think it is possible that all the problems occured from 2007-2008 to get big banks like BoA in enough trouble that we had to spend billions to keep them in business?
Scott: cost us millions?
Sink: cost us billions?

Is there a third door?