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新研究顯示：全美約3000個地區兒童有鉛中毒問題
據美國哥倫比亞廣播公司和路透社報導，路透社在全美範圍內調查分析了國家衛生部門和美國疾病控制與預防中心10年來的數據，發現2606個人口普查區和另外278個郵政編碼區，鉛中毒的發生率至少是弗林特的兩倍，其中超過1100個社區的血鉛水平比密执安州發現的至少高出3倍，血鉛水平升高的人群中，兒童占比最高。人口普查區平均有約4000名居民，而郵政編碼區平均人口為7500人。
研究顯示，巴爾的摩、克利夫蘭和費城等城市，鉛中毒已經跨越了幾代人，在過去10年增加了40%-50%。費城近2700名兒童的血鉛水平有可能導致不可逆的腦損傷、智商降低和終身的學習及行為問題，密蘇里州的聖約瑟夫，近5年7個人口普查區測試中超過15%的兒童體內鉛含量升高。
造成鉛中毒的罪魁禍首是家中的鉛漆、管道和工業廢物，國會於1978年禁止鉛涂料，但上述城市大多數住房是在那之前建造的，賓夕法尼亞等州衛生部門正在與學校、幼兒園及非營利組織合作，清除住房中的鉛，並起草新的市政法規，以確保出租的物業不含鉛危害。
路透社此次請求調查全美所有50個州的數據記錄，但由於一些州衛生部門缺乏數據或不響應請求，本次研究可用數據包括21個州和全美約61%的人口，雖然貧困仍然是鉛中毒有力的預測指標，但受害者跨越了美國的貧困和富裕階層、農村和城市、黑人和白人。
結果顯示，美國幾十年來在減少鉛中毒方面的努力嚴重缺失，弗林特以外的地區沒有受到同樣的關注。
美國疾控中心稱，至少400萬美國家庭中的兒童暴露於高水平鉛中，據世界衛生組織信息，暴露於重金屬神經毒素鉛之下，可引起人體貧血、高血壓、腎損傷，較高水平的鉛可致人昏迷、抽搐，甚至死亡，而兒童體內鉛含量升高尤其危險。
研究指出，不少州的衛生官員面臨資金危機，全美最高風險地區的許多孩子未經鉛測試，即使現有數據指出了嚴重的問題，鉛測試也在急劇減少，特別是有很多低收入居民和大量老房子的社區，沒有政府援助，清除鉛涂料和其他危害對於最可能遭受鉛中毒的居民來说顯然太昂貴了。
BURLINGTON WOMAN SENTENCED TO JAIL, ORDERED TO PAY UP TO $570,000 FOR BILLING PUBLIC AGENCIES FOR UNLICENSED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Defendant and Her Twin Sister Stole from Medicaid, Medicare and Lawrence Public Schools
WOBURN – A Burlington woman has been sentenced to jail and ordered to pay up to $570,000 in restitution for stealing from public agencies by billing for unlicensed psychological services, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.
Nita Guzman, age 52, pleaded guilty on Friday in Middlesex Superior Court to the charges of Medicaid False Claims (2 counts), False Claims to Public Agency (1 Count), Larceny (4 Counts), and Unlicensed Practice of Psychology (2 Counts).
After the plea was entered, Judge Laurence Pierce sentenced Guzman to 18 months in the House of Correction, with five years of probation upon completing her sentence. He also ordered her to pay up to $570,000. A restitution hearing has been set for Feb. 7, 2017 in Middlesex Superior Court to determine the exact restitution amount.
“Guzman and her sister orchestrated a criminal scheme to provide and bill for unlicensed psychological and mental health services for patients, including children, that they were not qualified to offer,” said AG Healey. “Guzman stole more than half a million dollars from taxpayers and defrauded public agencies who provide important services to those in need.”
Guzman’s twin sister, Nina Tischer, pleaded guilty in February 2016 to charges of False Claims to Public Agency (3 Counts), Larceny (3 Counts), Identity Fraud (3 counts), and Unlicensed Practice of Psychology (3 Counts). She was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in the House of Correction, suspended for a probationary period of five years.
Guzman and Tischer were indicted in August 2014 by a Statewide Grand Jury. Both sisters lived in Minnesota at the time of the indictments. In September 2014, Guzman was arrested by a Minnesota County Sheriff and Tischer turned herself in, and they were subsequently arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court.
The AG’s investigation revealed that Guzman, through her company New England Psychological Consultants, Inc., billed Medicaid, Medicare, and Lawrence Public Schools more than $550,000 for unlicensed mental health services.
Her twin sister, Nina Tischer, through her company PsychSupport, Inc., billed a division of UMass Medical School more than $30,000 for unlicensed psychological examinations. Neither sister is a licensed psychologist, a legal requirement for practicing psychology in Massachusetts.
Through their corporations, both located in Lowell, the sisters provided bilingual psychological services to Medicaid and Medicare members in the greater-Lowell and greater-Lawrence areas, performed mental health disability evaluations for the Department of Transitional Assistance and the state’s Medicaid program (MassHealth), and assessed children for learning disabilities for Lawrence Public Schools.
The investigation of Guzman began when a licensed psychologist reported to the AG’s Office that Guzman’s company had used her name and license number without permission to bill a Medicaid managed care organization more than $430,000.
Additional investigation by the AG’s Office and federal agents from the Office of the Inspector General for Health and Human Services revealed that Guzman also used the name, license and other identifying information of a second psychologist to bill the managed care organization and the federal Medicare program more than $60,000 of services that the psychologist did not provide.
Guzman also billed the Lawrence Public School system more than $60,000 of psychological evaluations of students in special education programs. The evaluations were performed by Guzman or Tischer. State regulations require that any such evaluations be performed by a licensed psychologist.
The investigation of Tischer began when a licensed social worker reported the unauthorized use of her name and license by Tischer’s company, PsychSupport. Tischer used the social worker’s name and credentials to bill a division of UMass Medical School for disability examinations of people applying for Medicaid benefits or financial assistance from the Department of Transitional Assistance. Tischer billed UMass more than $8,000 for those evaluations.
Two additional professionals, a licensed mental health counselor and a licensed psychologist, also reported the unauthorized use of their names and licensing information by Tischer. The investigation revealed that Tischer billed UMass more than $30,000 for disability evaluations purportedly performed by the three professionals.
This case was handled by Assistant Attorney General Casey Groff of the AG’s Medicaid Fraud Division. It was investigated by Investigator Eric Panicucci, also of the AG’s Medicaid Fraud Division, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, and officials from the Division of Professional Licensure. The Wright County Minnesota Sheriff’s Office and Wright County Attorney’s Office also assisted in this case.
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