Category: ASC News

Michigan physician convicted of $1.8M fraud scheme 

Oakland County, Mich.-based podiatrist Kenneth Mitchell, DPM, was convicted for his role in a $1.8 million healthcare fraud scheme after billing Medicare under another physician’s name, the U.S. Justice Department said Sept. 16. 

10 US cities with the highest inflation rates

The U.S. inflation rate rose 8.3 percent in August, with states in the southeast and southwest being hit the hardest according to a Sept. 17 report from CNBC. 

ASC owners can expect to face higher energy bills this winter

The U.S. Treasury Secretary has warned Americans that another price spike for gasoline is coming this winter, which could cause heating bill costs to rise for homes and businesses, according to a Sept. 16 report from USA Today. 

Medical student loan forgiveness may be taxed in 7 states

While the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness program will not tax loan forgiveness federally, several US states, including Indiana, have announced their intentions to tax forgiveness at a state level according to a Sept. 8 report from CNBC.

Number of ASCs in the 10 most, least populated U.S. states

California currently tops the list of states with the highest number of ASCs, reaching 845. California is also the most populated state in the nation, according to 2022 population data. 

Personal healthcare cost increase by region from 1991-2020

The average annual cost of personal healthcare expenditures by region grew everywhere in the U.S. since 1991, with the Rocky Mountain region seeing the highest annual increase rate on average according to data from the CMS. 

Employed physician salary: 13 stats

Medscape’s 2022 “Employed Physicians Report” surveyed more than 1,350 physicians employed by healthcare organizations, hospitals, large group practices, clinics or other medical groups about their jobs.

Michigan physician who tried fleeing to Mexico gets 4 years prison 

Dearborn, Mich.-based physician Tete Oniango, MD, was sentenced to four years in prison after prescribing 12,500 opioid pills to patients without medical reasoning, M Live reported Sept. 15. 

Texas physician accused of tampering with IV bag at ASC arrested

Anesthesiologist Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr., MD, was arrested Sept. 14 on a federal warrant amid an ongoing investigation into whether he tampered with IV bags at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare North Dallas. 

Houston physician to pay $240K for claims of banking late mother’s retirement

Henry Zaleski, MD, is paying $240,000 to settle charges alleging he collected retirement benefit payments intended for his deceased mother, the Justice Department said Sept. 14.