Rick Scott Elected Governor of Florida, But Voters Have a Charlatan in Office -- Not a Governor!

"Once you give a charlatan power over you -- you almost never get it back" - Carl Sagan

Artwork by Austin King Salem-News.com

(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) - Rick Scott, Florida's newly elected governor has blocked the implementation of a prescription drug monitoring system in his state despite the fact that Florida sells nine (9) times as many prescription pain pills than any other state in the country. In addition, 85% of all OxyContin sales in the U.S. comes from Scott's very own state of Florida.

Scott now wants all state employees to be required to take drug tests every 3 months. Interesting that Scott would be doing this -- Solantic was a company Scott had a majority stake in until he was elected governor.

He then signed his stock over to his wife -- to the tune of $62 million.

Rick Scott was also CEO of a company a few years back that was so corrupt, they paid the highest penalty ever by a company ($1.7 billion) because of massive Medicare Fraud. Columbia/HCA Healthcare, the largest for-profit hospital in America stole hundreds of millions of dollars in the largest known fraud in the country. Scott was made to resign, was paid $300 million in severance and several years later decided to try his hand at running for governor of Florida -- without any political experience. This novice standing in politics didn't seem to bother Scott -- and it obviously didn't bother the voters of Florida because he won the election.

Forbes reported that HCA “increased Medicare billings by exaggerating the seriousness of the illnesses they were treating. It also granted doctors partnerships in company hospitals as a kickback for the doctors referring patients to HCA. In addition, it gave doctors ‘loans’ that were never expected to be paid back, free rent, free office furniture, and free drugs from hospital pharmacies.”

Visit: The Fix - Why Florida's New Gov Fought to Save the State's Poison "Pill Mills"

Recently, Governor Scott opposed the funding of a pill mill database that would track prescription trends and allow law enforcement to see which clinics are dispensing too many prescriptions in Florida. He cited "patient privacy" issues. Curious that Scott doesn't mention "patient privacy" issues when he wants to urine test all government employees and applicants including teachers, firemen and policemen -- as well as welfare recipients -- and on a quarterly basis. Oh for anyone wondering just one of the services Solantic provides, they are an urgent-care chain that provides drug-testing services -- as in urine testing. Maybe the issue with the governor is not "patient privacy" after all -- but rather personal financial gain.

The funding for the database would not have cost taxpayers a dime: OxyContin maker, Purdue Pharma offered Scott a $1 million grant to pay for the database. But Scott turned the offer down. Maybe he had a "good conscience call." Why would anyone take money from a pharmaceutical company that was prosecuted and pleaded guilty to marketing OxyContin as less likely to be addictive or abused causing Florida's prescription drug epidemic? Here’s Alan Must, Purdue Pharma's Sr. VP of Government Affairs statement at Scott refusing the $1 million "dirty money" payoff.

We were so disappointed when we heard that it might go away … We want this [database] to happen. It doesn’t do us any good to have that illegal business in Florida.

How noble of you to be so "concerned" Mr. Must about the prescription drug data base in Florida. As a heads up -- your company, Purdue Pharma is responsible for the OxyContin problem in Florida and the pill mill crisis. A little too late for you to act like the "good guys."

Scott wants a "strike force" to go after the pill mills in Florida. The force will be composed of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Division of Insurance Fraud, sheriff’s departments, community police forces, the Department of Health and the Agency for Health Care Administration. These agencies and their employees all report to Governor Scott. In the form of a "Jeopardy" question -- what agencies will investigate their boss?

Solantic is currently the subject of a federal investigation over allegations of Medicare fraud – the same kind of fraud that Scott’s former company, Columbia HCA (now just called HCA) was engaged in. And Solantic was also the subject of lawsuits from former employees who charged that the company engaged in racial discrimination, let nurse practioners treat patients but telling Medicare they were treated by doctors, and even misused the licenses of the doctors it employed.

Last year a former employee of Solantic, Dr. Randy Prokes and a former medical director at Solantic’s Jacksonville clinic alleged the following in an email:

Purdue Pharma, maker of OxyContin, had the distinction of having their former CEO, Michael Friedman, Research & Development Czar, Paul Goldenheim, MD and Chief Legal Counsel, Howard Udell banned from doing business with the federal government for a hefty amount of time -- 12 years. This ban was initiated by Kathleen Sebelius, Head of Health and Human Services. Maybe it's time for Ms. Sebelius to look into Rick Scott's checkered past and felonies against him.

With a little luck, Scott could be hired by CNN to host a show with the disgraced, New York governor, Eliot Spitzer when Scott is forced to resign for improprieties while serving in office. It's called reinventing yourself Mr. Scott after having your reputation ruined by your own dishonest actions. Remember you reinvented yourself once when you ran for governor of Florida and the voters were foolish enough to think you were actually honest and ethical -- and not a charlatan.

LP -- For hearing my thoughts, understanding my dreams and being my best friend -- For filling my life with joy and loving me without end -- I thank God every minute of every day!

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Salem-News.com Reporter Marianne Skolek, is an Activist for Victims of OxyContin and Purdue Pharma throughout the United States and Canada. In July 2007, she testified against Purdue Pharma in Federal Court in Virginia at the sentencing of their three CEO's - Michael Friedman, Howard Udell and Paul Goldenheim - who pleaded guilty to charges of marketing OxyContin as less likely to be addictive or abused to physicians and patients. She also testified against Purdue Pharma at a Judiciary Hearing of the U.S. Senate in July 2007. Marianne works with government agencies and private attorneys in having a voice for her daughter Jill, who died in 2002 after being prescribed OxyContin, as well as the voice for scores of victims of OxyContin. She has been involved in her work for the past 8-1/2 years and is currently working on a book that exposes Purdue Pharma for their continued criminal marketing of OxyContin.

Marianne is a nurse having graduated in 1991 as president of her graduating class. She also has a Paralegal certification. Marianne served on a Community Service Board for the Courier News, a Gannet newspaper in NJ writing articles predominantly regarding AIDS patients and their emotional issues. She was awarded a Community Service Award in 1993 by the Hunterdon County, NJ HIV/AIDS Task Force in recognition of and appreciation for the donated time, energy and love in facilitating a Support Group for persons with HIV/AIDS.

Marianne Skolek
National Activist for Victims of OxyContin and
Purdue Pharma - a criminally convicted pharmaceutical company
Staff Correspondent, Salem-News.com