Dave Aronberg's slides from the Center for Health Journalism webinar, "Profiteers of Tragedy: Making Money Off America’s Opioid Addicts," 10.31.17 More info: https://www.centerforhealthjournalism.org/content/profiteers-tragedy-making-money-americas-opioid-addicts

1. HEROIN:
COMBATING THE LATEST DRUG EPIDEMIC
Dave Aronberg
State Attorney, 15th Judicial Circuit

2. 41,285,772
1,021,933 794,124 489,942 302,873 255,442 240,768 231,877 188,102 174,208
1,102,120
-
5,000,000
10,000,000
15,000,000
20,000,000
25,000,000
30,000,000
35,000,000
40,000,000
45,000,000
FL OH GA MD CA TN KY PA NV NC Remaining
States
Nationwide Comparison of Oxycodone Purchases by Practitioners
January - June 2010

3. 41,285,772
4,801,389
-
5,000,000
10,000,000
15,000,000
20,000,000
25,000,000
30,000,000
35,000,000
40,000,000
45,000,000
Florida Remaining States
UnitsPurchased Nationwide Comparison of Oxycodone Purchases by Practitioners
January - June 2010

5. 63% DECREASE IN OXYCODONE DEATHS IN
FLORIDA BETWEEN
2010-2015
Source: Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons by Florida Medical Examiners 2015 Report

8. • Federal Law Protects Sober Homes
• Americans With Disabilities Act
• Fair Housing Act
• Federal Law Provides Insurance Benefits
• Mental Health Parity Act
• Affordable Care Act
• Cannot be denied for pre-existing condition
• Children on parents policy until age 26
• All policies must have mental health/substance use
disorder coverage
---------------------------------------
75% of private patients in Florida are from out-of-state
PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS…

9. Substance
Use
Disorder
Patient
Detox
&
Inpatient
Treatment
PHP/IOP/OPSober Home
Sobriety
The Florida Model
In Theory

10. Substance
Use
Disorder
Patient
Detox
&
Inpatient
Treatment
PHP/IOP/OPSober Home
Sobriety
Labs
The Florida Model
In Practice
Marketers
$$$
$$$
$$$
$$$

11. CREATION OF THE
SOBER HOMES TASK FORCE
• In 2016, the Florida Legislature appropriated $275,000 to the Palm Beach
County State Attorney’s Office to:
• “Conduct a study aimed to strengthen investigation and prosecution of
criminal and regulatory violations within the substance abuse treatment
industry” and
• “Identify statutory clarifications and enhancements to existing law to
ensure that communities remain safe and individuals with substance use
disorders are protected.”
GRAND JURY
• At the same time, we empaneled a Grand Jury, which issued a
Special Presentment on December 8, 2016 entitled “Report on
the Proliferation of Fraud and Abuse in Florida’s Addiction
Treatment Industry.”
• Page 13: “One witness demonstrated how online marketers use
Google search terms to essentially hijack the name and reputation of
notable treatment providers only to route the caller to another referral
agency.”

12. LAW ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE
• Focused on Patient Brokering
and Healthcare Fraud
• 40 Individuals charged since
October 2016 (39 felonies; 1
midemeanor)
• 13 Convicted
• Search warrants executed at
over a dozen locations
• Toll Free Tip Line:
1-844-324-5463

13. CIVILIAN WORKGROUPS
•EACH GROUP MEETS
ONCE A MONTH
•DISCUSSIONS FOCUS ON
FIXING STATE LAW TO
PREVENT AND PENALIZE
FRAUD AND ABUSE IN THE
DRUG TREATMENT
INDUSTRY
•MANY OF THE
SUGGESTED LEGISLATIVE
PROPOSALS HAVE
ALREADY BEEN ENACTED
INTO LAW.

14. CIVILIAN
WORKGROUPS
LAW
ENFORCEMENT
• Proviso Group
• Doctors
• Industry Lawyers
• DCF, FADAA, FARR
• Other Industry Leaders
• Main Group
• Clinicians
• Patient Advocates
• Other Industry Leaders
• Full-time Prosecutor
• Multi-Agency Investigative
Team Comprised of 14 Officers
• Palm Beach County Sheriff’s
Office, Delray Beach PD,
Boynton Beach PD, West Palm
Beach PD, Boca PD, Riviera
Beach PD, Palm Beach Gardens
PD, Palm Springs PD, and
Department of Financial Services

15. HB807: EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2017
 Creates “Truth in Marketing”& certification of
marketers by Department of Agriculture;
criminal penalties
 Toughens patient brokering laws
 Gives the Attorney General statewide jurisdiction
 Licenses clinical providers
 Requires FARR certification of sober homes
when patients are referred to or from
providers
 Strengthens Department of Children and
Families (DCF) oversight & ability to deny
or revoke licenses

16. OFFICE OF THE STATE ATTORNEY
FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
Dave Aronberg
stateattorney@sa15.org
Tip Line: 844-324-5463