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CNN Live Saturday

Kids Abducted to Help in Dental Medicaid Scandal

Aired August 18, 2001 - 16:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: From southern Florida, a stunning case of dental abuse, Medicaid gauging, and kidnapping of children. Already, the investigation, called "operation: tooth decay," has lead to several arrests.

CNN's Mark Potter has the latest for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Investigators say the alleged Medicaid fraud scheme involved dentists, office managers and van drivers in Southeast Florida. For at least two years, many of them allegedly tempted, or even forced, thousands of children in low- income neighborhoods to go to dentist offices, often without their parents' knowledge or permission, so that phony Medicaid claims could be made.

BOB BUTTERWORTH, FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL: They literally pick up children off the streets, they give them toys, they might given them $5 in cash. They might give them a $5 coupon to a fast-food restaurant.

POTTER: State officials say some children were picked up at a summer camp at this park near Miami. Kelvin Harris who works with children near Ft. Lauderdale, says he too saw vans picking up youngsters for dental visits.

KELVIN HARRIS, CHILD COUNSELOR: I was in shock. I could not believe that they would actually take a chance of doing something like that, actually picking up peoples' children without their parents' approval.

POTTER: Florida's attorney general says often these Medicaid dental treatments were unnecessary and dangerous.

BUTTERWORTH: One case, the actual van driver was doing the cleaning. Another case, a convicted child molester with a high school education, no training, was providing x-rays to the children.

POTTER: This woman, Joyce Bryant (ph) is accused of actually abducting six children from their home after their mother refused to allow treatment.

(on camera): So far investigators have arrested more than a hundred dentists drivers and office workers. And they believe their crack down on fraudulent dental claims is saving Medicaid more than $26 million a year.

(voice-over): Among those arrested for allegedly paying drivers to pick up children was dental office manager Dr. Charles Kravitz, but his attorney Brian Bieber, says Kravitz did nothing wrong.

BRIAN BIEBER, ATTORNEY: What did Doctor Kravitz was doing was assisting a dental office in providing necessary care to an underprivileged community, to a community of low-income Medicaid recipients. That's all he was doing.

POTTER: Despite the recent arrests, state officials say the alleged dental fraud scheme continues, and that more cases are being developed.

Mark Potter, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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