Prison life hasn’t been easy for cancer doctor Farid Fata, if his court appearance Tuesday is any indication. He was bald, thin and looked a little frail — an ironic resemblance to the many patients he pumped with chemotherapy when he knew they didn’t have cancer.
“I’d like to grab hold of a needle … and give him a little juice,” said Terri Mitchell, 55, of Rochester Hills, one of hundreds of patients who the government says were intentionally mistreated and misdiagnosed by Fata because he wanted to make money.
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“It was bad, really bad,” said Mitchell, who was among about 25 victims who appeared in U.S. District Court on Tuesday to learn the status of restitution payments they are hoping to receive from Fata.
The once-prominent Oakland County doctor pleaded guilty in September 2014 to poisoning hundreds of patients intentionally through unnecessary treatment and raking in more than $17 million from fraudulent billings. He was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
Following Fata’s arrest in 2013, the federal government seized many of his assets and set up an $11.9-million restitution fund, which is designed to help Fata’s victims recover medical costs and other expenses. The government had seized $13 million in total assets from Fata, but $1.1 million was paid to the whistle-blower in the case, leaving the rest for his victims.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office had initially identified 553 victims, but noted there could be more given that Fata’s practice treated 17,000 patients through seven locations. At Tuesday’s hearing, federal authorities said 763 claims had been filed so far, and that the claims process would continue into the summer, which means victims might not see any payments until year-end, perhaps later. The deadline to file for a claim was Oct. 5.
“Our goal is to make sure that not a penny is left on the table,” U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade has said repeatedly.
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Among those seeking restitution is Mitchell, who submitted a claim for $43,000 in reimbursements for expenses, including CT scans, blood work, prescriptions and co-pays. Terry Spurlock of Holly is also hoping to get some money from the restitution fund. He said Fata gave him unnecessary iron and hydration treatments that triggered numerous chronic health issues.
“I’m glad he’s alive. I’d like to see him live a long time behind bars in prison, just wishing he could go outside for a picnic or to see his family,” Spurlock said. “He has no clue what he’s done.”
When Fata entered the courtroom, Spurlock couldn’t hold back and loudly said: “Does he have tatoos on the back of his head yet?” Others in the courtroom smirked.
Among the angry victims was Patty Hester, 62, of Clarkson, a former emergency room technician who received unnecessary iron infusions under Fata’s care. She said that Fata diagnosed her with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) — a precursor to leukemia — when all she had was anemia. She said she didn’t know that Fata had mistreated her until the FBI showed up at her house and told her. She eventually learned that Fata falsified her bone-marrow test results.
“He was torturing me so he could get money,” said Hester, who suffers from chronic hair loss and gum tissue problems. “We really don’t know what he was putting in our system.”
Fata, who is serving his sentence in South Carolina, wanted to speak at the restitution hearing. But U.S. District Judge Paul Borman denied his request, telling Fata that if he had anything to say, he could submit it to him in writing.
Hester was glad.
“The man has nothing to say,” she said.
According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, here are the costs that victims can seek reimbursement for through the restitution fund:
- Co-pays or any un-reimbursed medical costs for treatments that were prescribed by Fata.
- Prescriptions that were prescribed by Fata.
- Remedial medical and dental treatments that were caused by Fata’s treatment. For example, if someone lost their teeth due to Fata’s treatment, those out-of-pocket dental costs can be reimbursed.
- Mental health visits that were the result of Fata’s treatment.
- Funeral expenses. Authorities note that individuals seeking reimbursement for funerals may not get 100% reimbursement. That will depend on how many people make such claims.
Costs that are not covered by the restitution fund include:
- Pain and suffering, which are handled in civil lawsuits.
- Lost wages, for example if someone lost a job, left a job or missed work due to doctor’s appointments tied to Fata.
- Travel to get to a doctor’s appointment.
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Source www.freep.com
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