Patients exploited in a medical lab and treatment center patient brokering scheme in Delray Beach. The Sober Home Task Force announced the arrests of three owners of Impact Q Testing LLC, a medical lab off Atlantic Avenue.
David Remland, Mark DiSimone, and Daniel Kandler are accused of paying out over 200-thousand dollars in kickbacks for patient referrals.
"This marks the first time in the state that any lab officials have been charged with patient brokering by a state agency," said Dave Aronberg, Palm Beach County State Attorney.
26 people have been arrested by the Task Force so far. Aronberg said more arrests are on the way.
A bill aimed to regulate substance abuse treatment facilities and add tougher penalties to illegal operators will give law enforcement more tools to stop corruption, starting with cracking down on deceptive marketing practices used to bring in patients from out of state.
"This is the beginning of the vicious cycle, where they lure people in from across the country to Palm Beach County and if they ever leave, they leave in body bags," added Aronberg.
Once the bill is signed into law it will expand prohibitions for patient referrals between treatment providers and recovery residences, expand DCF's authority to regulate and take action against license service providers, and add tougher penalties for patient brokering charges.
"We have the tools and the manpower needed to really put a dent in the corruption in this industry. In fact, we believe we’re starting to turn a corner and in the next year we will see reduction in the number of deaths," said Aronberg.
Legislators allotted 300-thousand dollars in the state budget for the Sober Home Task Force to operate a second year. It still has to be approved by the governor.