Louisiana Man Found Guilty on 8 Counts of Insurance Fraud

Arthur Copes of Baton Rouge has been found guilty on eight counts of insurance fraud, according to the Louisiana Attorney General's Office. Judge Anthony Marabella rendered the verdict following testimony from former patients who flew in from all over the country to testify against him.

Copes runs a clinic in Baton Rouge which provides braces for Scoliosis patients. David Caldwell, co-prosecutor, along with Butch Wilson, presented evidence showing Copes fraudulently billed Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana of more than $88,000. The AG's office said Copes billed the insurance company for services he was not licensed to render and he expected upfront payments from clients who thought they were seeing a licensed medical doctor, which Copes was not.

Buyer Beware: Identifying Health Insurance Fraud

Scam insurance is not new - criminals have been selling fraudulent policies since health insurance came into being. But with today's skyrocketing health care costs, more consumers are seeking affordable access to quality care, which provides scam artists with fertile hunting grounds.

By appealing to consumers' insurance cost concerns, these individuals successfully entice more than 100,000 Americans into purchasing sham health insurance every year.

Consumers should always be on the lookout for common insurance scams.

Dentist Withdraws Plea Deal

The Farrell dentist had reached a plea agreement with the state Attorney General’s Office to plead guilty to insurance fraud and acquiring a drug by fraud as part of an investigation that Dr. Lowe and three former employees obtained Hydrocodone with medical insurance and funneled the drug to her.

But, the deal went south when Dr. Lowe, 47, of 1801 Roemer Blvd., Farrell, learned that the plea agreement, which included a felony drug charge, would result in a 10-year suspension of her dentistry license by the State Dental Board, according to court documents filed by her attorney, Joshua D. Lock of Harrisburg.