Scam Targets Physician Offices

A reader sent me a link about a scam that targets MD offices.  It
is a retread of href="http://corpus-callosum.blogspot.com/2004/01/me-and-tom-delay-in-my-last-article-i.html">a
scam that I wrote about in 2004, wherein I mention that I was
targeted for this scam.  The new version of the scam was noted
first in Slate: The GOP's
Fake Doctor Council.  Then Political Animal picked it up: href="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_09/019905.php">Old
DeLay Scam Makes A Comeback.  Later, Free Range Talk wrote
about it, summarizing the two earlier posts as well.  So if you
only want to read one, read this one:

Tom
Delay undergoes makeover, so does his scam

by SurferKit

Posted on 21 September 2009 | 12:40 pm

Known as "Hot Tub Tom" during his early years in the Texas
legislature, Tom Delay underwent a makeover of sorts to get back his
girlish figure for his premier appearance on ABC's "Dancing with the
Stars" tonight. Politics Daily tells us The Hammer started working out
in June, losing 18 pounds in the process...



...During his days as House Majority Leader back in 2002 and 2003,
Delay had a terrific con going with doctors' offices. A member of his
staff would routinely phone medical offices, encourage the physicians
to join a "Physicians Advisory Board," where an aide would strongly
suggest that the medical professionals could get an opportunity to meet
with and counsel lawmakers on health care concerns. What the aides
failed to mention was the Physicians Advisory Board didn't actually
exist. delay_jailed



But Delay didn't let that little detail prevent him from holding
several staged events asking the doctors for a donation of $5,000 to
show up. The doctors, believing there was a chance to influence
lawmakers' decisions, generously donated. Like a good politician, Delay
funneled his "contributions" directly into the National Republican
Congressional Committee...

Basically, this slick dude preyed upon people emotions, desire for
recognition, desire to rub elbows with persons of great
importance.  Or whatever.  You got to go to a special event,
and you got a plaque to put on your wall.  Or wherever.  I
can think of a lot of events I'd rather attend, for $5,000.  Plus
I could have my own plaque made for a lot less.  I could even make
a plaque myself, with a 2x4 and a magic marker.



Anyway, the new scheme is not being run by DeLay.  As you can see
from the photo, he has other things to do these days.  The new
scheme is being run by Tom Price,
US Representative from Georgia.



It is described in a "warning" issued by the Ohio State Medical
Association.  You have to log in, in order to see it on the site,
but anyone can see it in href="http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:aapA4-d-Q1YJ:www.osma.org/i4a/pages/headlinedetails.cfm%3Fid%3D1137+tom+price+physician%27s+advisory+board&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a">Google
Cache

Warning: Solicitations from Rep. Tom Price & the
Physicians' Council for Responsible Reform - 10/22



Many members have expressed concerns about a solicitation that they
have received from Rep. Tom Price, MD, (R-Ga.) and a group called the
Physicians' Council for Responsible Reform (PCRR). These
solicitations ask physicians to contribute financially to join this
group and/or to attend a PCRR Consultant Strategy Meeting in Washington
D.C.



Despite the wording in these solicitations that alludes to the
contrary, please be advised that the PCRR does not speak for organized
medicine at all, and certainly not in the health system reform debate.
The OSMA, along with the American Medical Association (AMA), continue
to meet with elected leaders in Ohio and Washington D.C. to give you a
voice in this important debate.



The health system reform debate is truly an important one that may
heavily impact the practice of medicine in the future. The PCRR
solicitation attempts to evoke emotions surrounding this debate in an
effort to raise funds for the National Republican Congressional
Committee. While you can make your own decision as to which, if any,
political entity to support.. [emphasis added]

This is complete baloney, of course.  The thing that makes it
really weird, is that he is a physician himself.  In fact, he went
to the same medical school that I did!  (Four years earlier, so I
never met him.)  Plus, he is -- ironically -- on record as being
opposed to the use of innocently-termed boards for political purposes:

href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123128781030459191.html">The GOP
Should Fight Health-Care Rationing

By TOM PRICE

Wall Street Journal, 1/7/09



...For a preview, look no further than "What We Can Do About the
Health-Care Crisis," a book published this year by former Sen. Tom
Daschle, President-elect Barack Obama's choice for secretary of Health
and Human Services. Atop the list of worrisome ideas proposed by Mr.
Daschle is the creation of an innocently termed "Federal Health
Advisory Board."...

Daschle's proposed board would serve a legitimate function, regardless
of whether one agrees with it.  Price's Physicians' Council for
Responsible Reform serves no purpose, other that to collect money for
the National Republican Congressional Committee. 



Update: href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physicians%27_Council_for_Responsible_Reform">Wikipedia
has more about the PRCC.