dave aronberg: "profiteers of tragedy: making money off america’s opioid addicts"...
TRANSCRIPT
HEROIN: COMBATING THE LATEST DRUG EPIDEMIC
Dave AronbergState Attorney, 15th Judicial Circuit
41,285,772
1,021,933 794,124 489,942 302,873 255,442 240,768 231,877 188,102 174,208 1,102,120
-
5,000,000
10,000,000
15,000,000
20,000,000
25,000,000
30,000,000
35,000,000
40,000,000
45,000,000
FL OH GA MD CA TN KY PA NV NC Remaining
States
Nationwide Comparison of Oxycodone Purchases by Practitioners
January - June 2010
41,285,772
4,801,389
-
5,000,000
10,000,000
15,000,000
20,000,000
25,000,000
30,000,000
35,000,000
40,000,000
45,000,000
Florida Remaining States
Un
its
Pu
rch
ase
dNationwide Comparison of Oxycodone Purchases by Practitioners
January - June 2010
63% DECREASE IN OXYCODONE DEATHS IN FLORIDA BETWEEN
2010-2015
Source: Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons by Florida Medical Examiners 2015 Report
• Federal Law Protects Sober Homes
• Americans With Disabilities Act
• Fair Housing Act
• Federal Law Provides Insurance Benefits
• Mental Health Parity Act
• Affordable Care Act
• Cannot be denied for pre-existing condition
• Children on parents policy until age 26
• All policies must have mental health/substance use disorder coverage
---------------------------------------
75% of private patients in Florida are from out-of-state
PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS…
Substance
Use
Disorder
Patient
Detox
&
Inpatient Treatment
PHP/IOP/OPSober Home
Sobriety
The Florida Model
In Theory
Substance
Use
Disorder
Patient
Detox &
Inpatient Treatment
PHP/IOP/OPSober Home
Sobriety
Labs
The Florida ModelIn Practice
Marketers$$$
$$$
$$$
$$$
CREATION OF THE SOBER HOMES TASK FORCE
• In 2016, the Florida Legislature appropriated $275,000 to the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office to:
• “Conduct a study aimed to strengthen investigation and prosecution of criminal and regulatory violations within the substance abuse treatment industry” and
• “Identify statutory clarifications and enhancements to existing law to ensure that communities remain safe and individuals with substance use disorders are protected.”
GRAND JURY
• At the same time, we empaneled a Grand Jury, which issued a Special Presentment on December 8, 2016 entitled “Report on the Proliferation of Fraud and Abuse in Florida’s Addiction Treatment Industry.”
• Page 13: “One witness demonstrated how online marketers use Google search terms to essentially hijack the name and reputation of notable treatment providers only to route the caller to another referral agency.”
LAW ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE• Focused on Patient Brokering
and Healthcare Fraud
• 40 Individuals charged since October 2016 (39 felonies; 1 midemeanor)
• 13 Convicted
• Search warrants executed at over a dozen locations
• Toll Free Tip Line:1-844-324-5463
CIVILIAN WORKGROUPS
•EACH GROUP MEETS ONCE A MONTH
•DISCUSSIONS FOCUS ON FIXING STATE LAW TO PREVENT AND PENALIZE FRAUD AND ABUSE IN THE DRUG TREATMENT INDUSTRY
•MANY OF THE SUGGESTED LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ENACTED INTO LAW.
CIVILIANWORKGROUPS
LAW ENFORCEMENT
• Proviso Group
• Doctors
• Industry Lawyers
• DCF, FADAA, FARR
• Other Industry Leaders
• Main Group
• Clinicians
• Patient Advocates
• Other Industry Leaders
• Full-time Prosecutor
• Multi-Agency Investigative Team Comprised of 14 Officers
• Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Delray Beach PD, Boynton Beach PD, West Palm Beach PD, Boca PD, Riviera Beach PD, Palm Beach Gardens PD, Palm Springs PD, and Department of Financial Services
HB807: EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2017 Creates “Truth in Marketing”& certification of
marketers by Department of Agriculture; criminal penalties
Toughens patient brokering laws
Gives the Attorney General statewide jurisdiction
Licenses clinical providers
Requires FARR certification of sober homes when patients are referred to or from providers
Strengthens Department of Children and Families (DCF) oversight & ability to deny or revoke licenses
OFFICE OF THE STATE ATTORNEY
FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
Dave [email protected]
Tip Line: 844-324-5463