Possible booster violation in OSU Women's basketball, current team not at risk

[Steve19]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...nvestigation.1st.ld.writethru.0329/index.html

OSU has reported that two members of the women's team received a dental invoice showing nothing was due, assuming that their insurance had paid the bill. The NCAA has cleared the players but OSU is investigating that there could have been three or four players who saw this orthodontist in the past.

The ladies on the current team reported this immediately and have done no wrong.

I must admit that I am somewhat amazed at the level of this reporting to the NCAA. Doctors routinely charge different prices based on the affordability to the patient, perceived social relationships (family, friends) and other issues that in the doctor's opinion influence a different price. For instance, charging a set of rates that is the level of medical insurance reimbursement for some patients but charging a higher price to others. I also can never understand my doctor's bill. Sometimes they issue after receiving medical insurance, sometimes before. It all is very confusing and I would not be surprised if the students of previous years were not confused if they received free treatment, as well.

 

[Buckeye513]

Wow. I don't know what to say...
This is a new low for the NCAA.

 

[LightningRod]

This is a new low for boosters.

 

[butahsan]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/basketball/ncaa/wires/02/11/2060.ap.bkw.ohio.state.investigation.1st.ld.writethru.0329/index.html

OSU has reported that two members of the women's team received a dental invoice showing nothing was due, assuming that their insurance had paid the bill. The NCAA has cleared the players but OSU is investigating that there could have been three or four players who saw this orthodontist in the past.

The ladies on the current team reported this immediately and have done no wrong.

I must admit that I am somewhat amazed at the level of this reporting to the NCAA. Doctors routinely charge different prices based on the affordability to the patient, perceived social relationships (family, friends) and other issues that in the doctor's opinion influence a different price. For instance, charging a set of rates that is the level of medical insurance reimbursement for some patients but charging a higher price to others. I also can never understand my doctor's bill. Sometimes they issue after receiving medical insurance, sometimes before. It all is very confusing and I would not be surprised if the students of previous years were not confused if they received free treatment, as well.

I do believe that charging a different set of rates for different people is in fact illegal. I do know for a fact that this is illegal for physical therapists to charge different rates as explained above in Ohio. The facility or physician will charge a specific amount to an insurance company, but the insurance company has a contract to only pay a specific per procedure or treatment.

 

[Bucktastic]

Im sure ESPiN is already is investigating, and getting an Outside the Lines special ready....

 

[Steve19]

I do believe that charging a different set of rates for different people is in fact illegal. I do know for a fact that this is illegal for physical therapists to charge different rates as explained above in Ohio. The facility or physician will charge a specific amount to an insurance company, but the insurance company has a contract to only pay a specific per procedure or treatment.

I don't live in Ohio and am surprised by this. So, if I am a physical therapist and I see my best friend's kid, it's illegal for me to not charge him or to just charge him for say the cost of the materials I have used? If so, what an incredibly strange law!

Im sure ESPiN is already is investigating, and getting an Outside the Lines special ready....

Yep, they really got us now! The great dental scandal. When did these players smile, how long did they smile and did Andy Geiger see it. I can't wait until the full length movie, they never pull punches in those!

 

[osugrad21]

The sad thing is the delusional perception of everyone outside of tOSU...

When you start self-reporting things like this and making public announcements regarding such a report, you are being overly-cautious and thorough. However, thanks to MoC, this will be viewed by the rest of the country as yet another instance of the indiscretions of a renegade athletic factory.

Pathetic

 

[BuckeyeInTheBoro]

Sorry guys... I'm afraid this is not only true.. it affects the current team as well.

Here is a picture of Caity Matter today:

Here is a picture of a young recruit named Caity Matter 8 years ago:

http://www.pha.jhu.edu/~matt/mcgrievy/rehoboth/Caitlin with teeth 100_0077.JPG


We're in trouble guys... big, big trouble! Trouble with a capital T and that stands for Teeth!

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Unless there is some Ohio Revised Code section I am absolutely unfamilair with, there is no reason a Doctor, Dentist or anyone else can't determine the price of his or her efforts per patient. There is nothing illegal about setting your own fee.

I may charge one guy 500 bucks for a contract, that doesn't mean the next contract I do will be worth that. And I may want to charge less, on the chance that that'll get me more referrals. Nothing illegal about it.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

This one has come out of left field so to speak. I am all for being proactive with our athletic programs, but I think tOSU administration is being to proactive. Like Grad said, it will be viewed by the national media as another black mark.

It is pathetic.

 

[Oh8ch]

Boro - you are bad. :)

 

[BuckeyeInTheBoro]

Boro - you are bad. :)

Just lazy... going for the easy laughs.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

heres the story

OSU investigating allegations of free dental work for players

Posted: Friday Feb 11, 2005 3:27 AM

window.onerror=function(){clickURL=document.location.href;return true;} if(!self.clickURL) clickURL=parent.location.href;
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio State is investigating allegations that a booster provided free dental work to members of the women's basketball team, athletic director Andy Geiger said Thursday night.

Geiger said no current members of the second-ranked Buckeyes are in danger of being declared ineligible, and that an investigation was underway into whether NCAA rules were violated.

An orthodontist may have done work on players but failed to bill their insurance companies, Geiger said. He would not specify when the alleged infraction took place.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported on its Web site Friday that Geiger said two current players received invoices from an orthodontist saying they owed nothing, and the players assumed their insurance had paid for the work. Geiger said three or four other players over the past five years could also haven been involved.

The school reported the situation to the NCAA, which approved continued eligibility for the two current players, Geiger said.

"It's in hand. We're looking at it,'' Geiger told The Associated Press.

The school's athletic department has faced a series of NCAA investigations into its football and men's basketball programs over the past three years.

Ohio State suspended former star running Maurice Clarett following the 2002 season for lying to investigators during an NCAA probe of allegations that he received improper benefits from a family friend.

In December, the school imposed a one-year postseason tournament ban on its men's basketball team over an alleged $6,000 payment to a recruit by former coach Jim O'Brien.

Also in football, quarterback Troy Smith was suspended for the Alamo Bowl for accepting benefits from a booster.

and from the dispatch
http://www.dispatch.com/bball/women/womensbball.php?story=dispatch/2005/02/11/20050211-F2-06.html&chck=t

NCAA checks into free dental care
Friday, February 11, 2005
Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


Ohio State athletics director Andy Geiger acknowledged last night that the NCAA is investigating whether any former members of the Ohio State women’s basketball team received free dental care as an improper benefit.

"There is a question that we and the NCAA are looking into," Geiger said. "It has to do with dental work — braces. It goes back a few years. No coaches are involved. It won’t affect this team. That’s my belief anyway."

Coach Jim Foster said the NCAA received an anonymous tip but that no current players are involved.

"The compliance people are looking into it," Foster said. "People that were accused on this year’s team were cleared. In this day and age of anonymous information, a lot of things get thrown into the mix. Compliance is looking at them."

[email protected]

I know the football team has a team dentist (zwick) why would they not have a team dentist??

 

[butahsan]

Unless there is some Ohio Revised Code section I am absolutely unfamilair with, there is no reason a Doctor, Dentist or anyone else can't determine the price of his or her efforts per patient. There is nothing illegal about setting your own fee.

I may charge one guy 500 bucks for a contract, that doesn't mean the next contract I do will be worth that. And I may want to charge less, on the chance that that'll get me more referrals. Nothing illegal about it.

Like I said, I am not sure if this applies to physicians, but I am positive that it applies to physical therapists. It is illegal in a situation for instance, a physical therapist performs a specific service to patient A and bills that patient for $50, and then performs the exact same treatment to patient B, but charges them $200 dollars. A big part of this law does deal with insurance companies. Many patients have deductibles that they must meet before the insurance company starts paying for services. If someone's insurance company requires that the patient pay a $200 deductible, and I charge $200 for my initial treatment to patient B, the insurance company will have to pay for the subsequent visits. Now if I only charge $50 per visit for my services to patient A, then the patient will have to recieve 4 treatments before the insurance company starts paying for treatments. That is why I must charge the same amount to all patients for each specific type of treatment.

There are some exceptions to this rule when it comes to low income individuals and pro bono work.

 

[Oh8ch]

there is no reason a Doctor, Dentist or anyone else can't determine the price of his or her efforts per patient. There is nothing illegal about setting your own fee.

I don't think anyone is suggesting the Dentist did anything illegal. An auto dealer is free to give away cars and a furniture dealer can pass out free furniture.

You just can't accept it as a benefit if you are a student athlete and that is the reason you were offered the benefit.

That said, this doesn't sound all that troubling.