Medi MD owner says he was not expecting investigators

Medi M.D. owner, Bill McClure, spoke with Historic City News editor Michael Gold this evening to shed light on today’s unexpected events at his two local medical clinics; after investigators from the State Attorney General’s office arrived to serve a general, non-specific search warrant.

Before the clinic opened for business this morning, McClure says he met with his attorney Dan Mowrey and the investigative team at his Palencia location. McClure says nothing was taken from the clinic, to his knowledge, besides copies of billing records primarily associated with Medicare and Medicaid billing, excerpts from policy manuals, and favorable results from prior inspections by state medical authorities.

“We cooperated with the agents and provided access to any records they requested,” McClure said. “We don’t have anything to hide so there was no reason not to cooperate.”

McClure explained that his clinics often serve indigent patients, those whose only access to medical treatment is through Medicare or Medicaid benefits. The urgent care clinics, staffed with licensed and qualified medical providers, operate similarly to a family medicine practice. McClure says many doctors and hospitals will no longer see these patients because the state payments are so low — in many cases he reported earning as little as $35 per patient. In fact, McClure reported that his last Medicaid reimbursement check was only $793.01.

“We don’t treat patients for chronic pain and don’t operate a pharmacy,” said McClure, responding to false rumors that the investigators thought he was operating a “pill mill”. “Our doctors and nurse practitioners write prescriptions for antibiotics, cough and cold medications, antihistamines, and other common medications, in limited quantities. Our providers do not write prescriptions for hydrocodone or oxycodone or other narcotics.”

At one point, McClure voluntarily sat with the lead investigator to assist him in understanding how the very successful clinics are managed. They talked for about twenty minutes, according to McClure, and the kinds of things the investigator was interested in, were day-to-day operational processes.

McClure said it was suggested that he may have had a recent disgruntled employee or patient who might have instigated a complaint; either at the Palencia or South Plantation Island Drive location in St. Augustine. “Unfortunately, that comes with the territory, I’m afraid,” McClure told reporters. He told Historic City News that he has never been accused of wrongdoing in the six-years that he has operated his business, nor has he ever had investigators search for records about his billing practices.

McClure was on his way out-of-town for the weekend, but remained to assist in any way he could. McClure was not accused of improper activity, of any kind, and was free to resume business after the requested documents were copied. There are no charges filed and no arrests made. After it was clear that the disruption had stressed and upset his staff, he allowed them to take the weekend off, too; and, he told Historic City News to assure patients that it will be “business as usual” on Monday morning.

Attorney Mowrey called McClure after the investigators wrapped up to inform him that the Attorney General’s office would notify him if there was any more to it. He also asked Mowrey to thank McClure for his assistance and cooperation.