A Falmouth dental tycoon is biting back after being charged with nearly $200,000 in fraudulent claims to MassHealth. Dr. Marcus Swann, age 49, and his practice, Direct Pay Dental, were indicted by the Barnstable County Grand Jury, as per a release by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. Accused of billing for bogus services and passing off unlicensed work, the pair faces multiple counts of Medicaid False Claims and Larceny Over $1,200.
In a move to protect taxpayer funds and patient trust, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell has cracked down on MassHealth violations. She said, "I am proud of the team's continued efforts to protect the integrity of the MassHealth program and our taxpayer resources, all while ensuring our residents receive the highest quality healthcare." And despite, being charged with serious offenses, Swann and his practice are presumed innocent until proven guilty as a reminder that they are still gifted with the benefit of doubt.
From mid-2017 through late 2020, Swann and his practice allegedly filled MassHealth's coffers with claims for procedures like patient exams and crowns, conveniently performed by dental hygienists or assistants. These duties, supposedly reserved for those with a dentist's license, were not actually provided by Swann, states the indictment. To add insult to injury, the claims included charges for dental work that never happened at all.
A combined effort by the AG's Medicaid Fraud Division cracked open the case. Assistant Attorney General William Champlin IV, Senior Healthcare Fraud Investigator Heather Dwyer, and investigator Grace Bentley led the charge, with the Massachusetts State Police lending their muscle to the investigation, as reported by the official press release. While cracking the whip on healthcare hucksters, AG Campbell's taskforce remains partially funded by Uncle Sam, with federal monies covering three-quarters of the Medicaid Fraud Division's resources for the fiscal year.
AG Campbell's fierce clampdown aligns with her recent declarations to push for overarching opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. In her sights is the creation of a healthcare landscape where health equity isn't just a buzzword but a real-life policy in action. It is rooted deeply in ensuring MassHealth patients aren't short-changed on quality care. Those who dare to misuse their positions of trust or authority will find no quarter under her vigilant gaze.
