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Opioid Strike Force Takedown Includes Charges Against Manchester Doctor and Tullahoma Nurse Practitioner
Pill photo by (Twenty20)
On April 16, 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Dr. Harrison Yang, 75, of Manchester, Tennessee, with healthcare fraud violations.
This case was investigated by the FBI, HHS-OIG, DEA, and TBI.
U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey said, “Today is an example of how our office is working with our law enforcement partners in the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force to identify and prosecute dishonest medical professionals and others engaged in health care fraud schemes involving illegal prescription, distribution, possession, and use of opioids.”
The charges involve individuals contributing to the opioid epidemic, with a particular focus on medical professionals involved in the unlawful distribution of opioids and other prescription narcotics, a priority for the Department. According to the CDC, approximately 115 Americans die every day of an opioid-related overdose.
In a sperate case, Nurse Practitioner Jonathan White, 49, of Tullahoma, Tennessee, was indicted on three counts of healthcare fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. According to the indictment, White and co-conspirators were employed by MedManagement Inc., which managed Pain MD located in Franklin, Tennessee. Pain MD operated pain and wellness clinics throughout Middle Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia. Between 2010 and continuing through 2015, the indictment alleges that White and two others provided services to patients, namely “Tendon Origin Injections,” which were neither medically necessary nor physically possible and provided medically unnecessary durable medical equipment and then submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE. These services were said to further the company’s business model by increasing revenues and to personally enrich Pain MD providers and executives. The indictment further alleges that White and the co-conspirators trained other providers on methods to increase productivity, including methods on how to control the patient and allow them to treat patients with such medically unnecessary injections and threatening to dismiss them as patients and stop writing prescriptions for narcotic pain medication if they did not comply. According to the indictment, White and others submitted more than $3.5 million in false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE.
Anti-Abortion Lawmakers Refocus Efforts
While an effort to enact an abortion heartbeat bill failed last week, anti-abortion lawmakers have refocused their efforts to enact a “trigger” bill that would ban abortions in Tennessee should the Supreme Court alter or overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.
The trigger bill, formally known as the “Human Life Protection Act,” had taken a back seat in the General Assembly to the heartbeat bill, which would have banned abortions after a fetal heartbeat could be detected-typically about six weeks into a pregnancy.
But even as the heartbeat bill gained traction, including the support of Gov. Bill Lee, some lawmakers grew cautious about the certain legal challenges-and the high cost- that would follow. The heartbeat measure has been deferred to a summer study session, effectively killing the bill this year.
On Tuesday, a majority of the House health committee voted in favor of the trigger bill, sending it to the House Finance, Ways and Means committee.
Tennessee could soon Ban Hand-Held Cell Phone Use while Driving
A bill banning most cell phone use while driving could soon be one of Tennessee’s new rules of the road.
The measure passed the State House in a close vote. The bipartisan bill, which is up for a vote in the Senate next week, will likely face similar circumstances there as well.
Tennessee ranks No. 1 in deaths due to distracted driving according analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.
The new bill would allow for hands-free devices to be used while driving. Violators would have to pay a $50-dollar fine if cited, but not right away. First-time offenders would be sent to driving school.
Motlow Top Performing Institution among all Colleges and Universities in The College System of Tennessee
Motlow State Community College is the top performing institution among all colleges and universities in The College System of Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC).
The numbers affirming this recognition are a product of a review of the state’s higher education performance funding formula that was published this spring. Based on Motlow’s stellar performance, THEC recommended the college receive an increase of 16.6 percent for the 2019-2020 academic year in order to further its service to a growing number of students.
Tennessee’s higher education funding model was launched as part of a comprehensive reform agenda in 2010 called the Complete College Tennessee Act. The state’s formula accounts for 100 percent of taxpayer dollars spent to operate public colleges and universities. T
4/19/19–Eddie Glenn Finney
Eddie Glenn Finney, formerly of Estill Springs, passed this life on
Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at Bestcare Senior Home in Lawrenceville, GA at the
age of 89. Funeral Services are scheduled for Friday, April 19, 2019 at 1
PM at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home with burial to follow at Rose Hill
Memorial Gardens. Visitation with the family will begin at 11 AM.
A native of Tullahoma, he was the son of the late Doyle Ray and Oleda
Weaver Finney. Glenn graduated from Thornton Township High School in 1948
and continued his education at Thornton Junior College in Harvey, IL. He
was a U S Army veteran serving from 1950 to 1954 and a shipping and
receiving officer. When he was discharged, he returned to Illinois and
started working at Material Service Company and then worked in the trailer
industry in Elkhart, IN. He moved to Estill Springs and worked as a
carpenter, building houses around Tim’s Ford Lake. He enjoyed gardening,
farming, hunting, fishing and training hunting dogs. He loved to grow
flowers and had a rose garden of over forty varieties of roses. His secret
pastime was basketball which he loved.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, D R.
Finney; sister in-law, Elsie Peterson Finney and sister, Bettie Roberts.
He is survived by sister, Colleen Finney Stirling of Lilburn, GA; nephews,
Dennis Finney, Mark Finney, Mike Finney and David Stirling; niece, Carol
Allen and many other nieces, nephews, cousins, family members and good
friends.
Online condolences may be made at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com
Tuesday Prep Results and Wednesday Prep Schedule
Tuesday Prep Results
CCMS Baseball bested Tullahoma – 13 to 4 – See the story HERE
CCMS Softball edged Tullahoma – 1 to 0 – See the story HERE
CHS Baseball beat Franklin Co – 4 to 3 – See the story HERE
CHS Boys’ Soccer fell to Columbia – 4 to 2 – See the story HERE
CHS Softball dropped Tullahoma – 6 to 0 – See the story HERE
Wednesday Prep Schedule
4:00 PM – WMS Softball at Moore Co
5:00 PM – WMS Baseball HOSTS Fayetteville
5:00 PM – WMS Soccer HOSTS Cascade
5:00 PM – CCMS Softball HOSTS Warren County
6:00 PM – CCMS Boys’ Soccer at Tullahoma
6:00 PM – CHS Baseball at Franklin Co
7:00 PM – CHS Softball HOSTS Lincoln Co
Coffee County CHS Softball Blasts Tullahoma
Justus Turner of CHS softball
Hosting their fiercest rival Tullahoma, the Coffee County CHS softball team welcomed the Lady Cats to Terry Floyd Field on Tuesday night. In a game you heard here on Thunder Radio, the Lady Raiders broke open a scoreless game with a 4 run 4th inning as they cruised to a 6 to 0 win.
The Lady Raiders left base runners stranded in each of the first 3 innings before breaking through in the 4th. In the 4th inning, Coffee County sent 8 batters to the plate scoring 4 runs highlighted by a bases loaded triple off the bat of Ashley Evans. Coffee County added a pair of insurance runs in the 5th inning to improve to 6 and 1 in district play.
Keri Munn was outstanding in the circle as she struck out 11 allowing only 4 hits. The Lady Raiders stroked 10 hits including triples by Evans and Katie Rutledge and a double by Haidyn Campbell. Justus Turner had a pair of hits and drove in 2 runs as she was named the Crazy Daisies player of the game. Haley Richardson also finished with a pair of singles.
Coffee County will be back at home on Wednesday night as they play host to Lincoln County. First pitch is set for 7 PM at Terry Floyd Field. Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you the broadcast with Lucky Knott on the call. Our pregame show will begin around 6:50.
Download the broadcast at: http://www.thunder1320.com/downloads/
CCMS Softball No-Hits Tullahoma
Kaitlyn Davis of- CCMS softball
The Coffee County Middle School softball team welcomed Tullahoma to the CCMS field on Tuesday. In a game you heard here on Thunder Radio as part of the Gilley Crane Hometown Sports Series, the Lady Raiders were looking for a sweep over the Lady Cats. The Lady Raiders got a no-hitter from Katelyn Davis as they earned a 1 to 0 win.
The Lady Raiders had trouble timing up the Tullahoma pitcher as they were held to 2 hits on the game. Davis had a single and scored the Lady Raiders lone run. Cheyenny Vickers had the other single in the 4th inning. Davis finished the game with 11 strikeouts, 2 walks and 1 hit by pitch. The win clinched the regular season conference title.
The Lady Raiders will be back in action on Wednesday when they host Warren County in a game that has been postponed 3 times this spring due to weather. First pitch will be at 5 PM.
Download the broadcast at: http://www.thunder1320.com/downloads/
Coffee County CHS Baseball Holds Off Franklin County
Hayden Skipper of CHS baseball
The Coffee County CHS baseball welcomed district Franklin County to Powers Field on Tuesday. Coming off a split with Tullahoma, and a 3 and 1 record in this past weekend’s tournament, the Red Raiders were looking to keep the momentum alive in their final district series of the season. The Red Raiders held off a 7th inning rally to capture a 4 to 3 win.
The Red Raiders scored single runs in the 2nd and 3rd innings before adding a 2 spot in the 4th to seize a 4 to 0 lead. Coffee County made the most of their 7 hits in that 3 inning span and got a dominant pitching performance from Hayden Skipper. Skipper allowed only 2 hits while striking out 9 in his 6 innings of work for the win. The Coffee County bullpen surrendered 3 runs prior to Griffin Meeker coming to the mound to get the final 3 outs and the save.
At the plate, Skipper had a double and a triple and drove in 1 run. Kael McCall added a pair of singles with 1 RBI.
The Raiders will travel to Winchester on Wednesday for game #2 in the series. First pitch is set for 6 PM at the Gamble Sports Complex.
CCMS Baseball “Walks” Past Tullahoma
Hayden Garr of CCMS baseball
After clinching the regular season conference crown on Monday, the Coffee County Middle School baseball team was looking to end the regular season with a perfect conference record. After battling their way to a hard fought win on Monday in Tullahoma, the Red Raiders hosted the Wildcats on a beautiful afternoon at CCMS. Coffee County blew open a close contest in the 4th inning as they rolled to a 13 to 4 win.
Leading 4 to 3 in the bottom of the 4th inning, Coffee Middle used 2 walks and a pair of doubles to plate 4 runs in the frame. The Red Raiders got the benefit of 11 walks and 3 hit batters to go with their 6 hits. Pitcher Jacob Holder of Coffee County pitched 4 innings allowing 3 hits while striking out 8 to get the win. Jack Anderson came on to pitch the final 3 innings to notch the save.
Holder and Hayden Garr had all 6 hits for the Red Raiders as each finished with a double and 2 singles apiece. Gar finished with 4 RBI while Holder drove in 2 and score 3 runs. England Bryan had 3 walks and 2 RBI.
The Red Raiders will now be off until next week’s conference tournament which will be held at Waggoner Park in Tullahoma. The Raiders will enter as a #1 seed and receive a first round bye. Coffee Middle’s game time and opponent will be released later in the week.