Remember that big lap band scandal?

[Larra]

For those not familiar with this, back in the early 2000's this guy and his company had a thriving business in lap bands. Anyone in the Los Angeles area became familiar with his billboards. They were shut down after some of their not so good practices became known, and now we have this little follow-up on the guy at the top of the heap.

Former Los Angeles doctor sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for massive health insurance fraud scheme (ktla.com)

I know Spiky Bugger will remember this debacle, others who have been around awhile will as well.

 

[southernlady]

For those not familiar with this, back in the early 2000's this guy and his company had a thriving business in lap bands. Anyone in the Los Angeles area became familiar with his billboards. They were shut down after some of their not so good practices became known, and now we have this little follow-up on the guy at the top of the heap.

Former Los Angeles doctor sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for massive health insurance fraud scheme (ktla.com)

I know Spiky Bugger will remember this debacle, others who have been around awhile will as well.

Oh wow, honestly he deserved more than 7 years but it is what it is.

 

[Munchkin]

I remember this too!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

For those not familiar with this, back in the early 2000's this guy and his company had a thriving business in lap bands. Anyone in the Los Angeles area became familiar with his billboards. They were shut down after some of their not so good practices became known, and now we have this little follow-up on the guy at the top of the heap.

Former Los Angeles doctor sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for massive health insurance fraud scheme (ktla.com)

I know Spiky Bugger will remember this debacle, others who have been around awhile will as well.

Ya know…at this moment in time, I have ZERO RECALL of this guy…his name, his scam, nada.

Senility? Or maybe bias against local doctors because it was the same era when I went to Mexico for my band?

But seven years is the least he could do. For all of us!

 

[Larra]

Spiky Bugger I recall you and I corresponding about this nasty business. While I wouldn't expect anyone to remember his name after all these years - I didn't either - I definitely remember the whole story and all the misery involved.
Interesting thing about the case, though, is that as best I can tell, not being an attorney and all, is that what he's going to the slammer for isn't so much the harm done to the patients, but the fraud against the various insurance companies. And, while I'm not a fan of fraud, I really think the patients should be the main focus. But that's how the system works, I guess.

 

[k9ophile]

It doesn't surprise me, but I would have thought we'd have done better by now. I guess there is still a tiny bit of optimism buried deep within my predominantly pessimistic soul. Perhaps just having that little spark of hope doesn't mean I'm entirely a lost soul.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Spiky Bugger I recall you and I corresponding about this nasty business. While I wouldn't expect anyone to remember his name after all these years - I didn't either - I definitely remember the whole story and all the misery involved.
Interesting thing about the case, though, is that as best I can tell, not being an attorney and all, is that what he's going to the slammer for isn't so much the harm done to the patients, but the fraud against the various insurance companies. And, while I'm not a fan of fraud, I really think the patients should be the main focus. But that's how the system works, I guess.

Well I’m glad SOMEBODY is helping me remember. (You’ll understand when YOU get old…lol)

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Okay…so THIS looks familiar.

 

[southernlady]

I remember those.
Okay, at one point in time, Charles and I lived for 6 months in Fullerton, CA. That was late 1996-early 1997.

Then in about 2007, he spent 3 months assigned in San Jose, CA. I would fly out and visit while I moved us from MI to NC.

 

[Webmommy]

We had a weight loss doctor in Texas who was on billboards everywhere and went to jail for fraud too. His practice actually killed and maimed a few people too but by golly the insurance companies got their “justice.”

https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2019/03/06/forest-park-trial-bariatric-hernias-yucky-shakes.html

 

[JackieOnLine]

His practice actually killed and maimed a few people too but by golly the insurance companies got their “justice.”

this society's priorities on display!

 

[Larra]

Webmommy patients were harmed in the Los Angeles business too, including some deaths. And we don't even know about what kind of follow-up all those lap band patients got, how well or poorly they did, etc. We know the statistics for lap band in general aren't good, and we also know how difficult it is for people to get insurance coverage for a revision to a better bariatric surgery when the first surgery fails, so you just have to wonder how badly screwed some (maybe a lot) of these folks were. It is sad and angering, if that is a word, when someone takes advantage of someone else's desperation.
And to Spiky Bugger yep, that was them back in the day. Those damn billboards were everywhere. I remember flying into LAX and seeing three of them while the plane taxied to our gate. It's a huge airport, but still.