Vietnam Vet: Sometimes the good guy wins

From Fox News, a good story about a wheelchair-bound Vietnam veteran who is enjoying a bit of a windfall after investigating how his benefits maxed out;

Richard West, 63, of Tuckerton, [New Jersey] first found his Medicaid benefits were wrongly maxed out in 2004 during a visit to the dentist and spent the past seven years investigating the scam, the New York Post reported.

Following the dentist visit, West returned home and examined his own records, when he found Maxim Healthcare — the agency that provides his health aides — had billed the government for care he never got, including visits from nurses he never met.

After spending months trying to get government officials to investigate the scam, he hired a lawyer and filed a federal lawsuit. His efforts resulted in the largest financial settlement in home healthcare fraud history.

West said, “From my wheelchair, on a ventilator and oxygen, I have spent the last seven years in this fight. Sometimes, the good guy wins.”

“The more I uncovered, the more pissed off I got that someone was making money on my disability. It’s people like me that will keep these big companies honest,” he added.

West is currently enjoying his $15 million whistleblower reward. That’s what a real whistleblower does. Thanks to Fritz for the link. Welcome home, Richard.

Category: Veterans Issues