Friday, September 9, 2016

First Checks Mailed to Outbreak Victims


By Walter F. Roche Jr.

The first checks have gone out to victims of the 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak and more will now follow due to an agreement with the U.S. Justice Department.
Lynne Riley, the trustee of the vctims' fund, said today that the first checks were mailed out a week and a half ago.
More checks will follow as the U.S. Justice Department has finally given its approval to an agreement on how much victims will have to pay to reimburse the Medicare program for the costs it incurred for treatment of the victims.
The payments come as the fourth anniversary of the outbreak approaches. The outbreak first came to public attention in mid-September of 2012 when a Vanderbilt University Medical Center physician notified Tennessee Health Department officials of the death of one of her patients from a rare fungal infection. 
About $120 million of a $210 million trust fund will eventually be going to more than a thousand victims of the deadly outbreak caused by fungus infested injectable steroid drugs shipped to health facilities across the country.
The fund was created in the bankruptcy of the New England Compounding Center, the now defunct Framingham, Mass. firm blamed for the outbreak.
Under a court approved system, victims will be paid depending on the severity of their illnesses along with other factors including the length of hospitalization and treatment with anti-fungal drugs.
Under the agreement just approved by the U.S. Justice Department, victims will have amounts ranging from 10.5 to 21.5 percent deducted from their payments to reimburse the Medicare program.
The initial payments will be about half of the total amount victims can expect to receive. Final payments will come at a later date after all the administrative and other costs have been deducted.
The $210 million fund includes payments from the owners of NECC, insurance companies and other entities that provided services to NECC.
The $210 million also includes money earmarked only for those victims treated at specific clinics that have reached a settlement in ongoing litigation in U.S. District Court in Boston, Mass.
Those amounts range from $3.5 million earmarked for victims treated at a North Carolina clinic to $40 million for those treated at a Virginia health care provider.
The victims were injected with fungus laden preservative free methylprednisolone acetate shipped from the NECC facility.


17 comments:

  1. Contacted my attorney and he said he had heard this, so checked around. He said as far as he knew no one in Tennessee received any checks. My questions to Lynne Riley are: 1. Where did the checks go 2. Where is a list to see if our names are on it. I'm sure there is no way to find out.

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  2. I asked my attorney too and he said basically the same thing; doj approved agreement but no checks have been sent out.

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  3. I figure whichever checks went out, they likely went to the attorneys first - then the attorneys will cut you a check = more time.

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    1. we pay our lawyer to keep us updated and they have no ideal what is going on with this big mess . has to be a better way thanks walter for your help you should be in charge of our money

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    2. UPDATE 9/14/16: I have received correspondence from my attorney that they have received some checks for people who didn't have any liens against them (Medicare, Medicaid, etc.). Said more should be coming to them soon.

      Lawyers get 'em first.

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  4. Contacted my lawyer also and was told as far as he knew no Virginia victims were sent checks either. Ok so who got the checks that were sent out a week and a half ago?

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  5. What about the clinics settlement in Michigan. Then they should be ready to go out also.

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  6. This is terrific news ! Only problem is, NO one seems to know where checks went ? Attorneys, the company Lynn works for, Medicare, who ?

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  7. Well if you have a lien they are not being sent. It's not just Medicare Liens now it can be lien from your regular insurance company holding up your check. The checks that were sent supposedly are the ones who's liens were resolved.

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  8. I wonder if Paul Moore and his Law Firm received their millions yet? He and his law firm seem to be the big winners from this whole mess! We pay Insurance premiums and also money is deducted from my SSI for Medicare but they still feel the need to take from compensation from our being victimized and nearly killed? I'm still suffering and disabled, lost a very good job with a family still to support, and will probably receive pennies on the dollar!! Shame on Medicare and the Insurance companies! As far as money from DOJ, well good luck receiving that anytime soon, everybody will have to dip their greedy little fingers into that before the victims receive any!
    Thanks Walter for your reports it more than we receive from our Lawyers. Thank you Sir:)

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  9. Does anyone know what the dollar per point amount is?

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  10. Another thing that really pisses me off is that most of the lawyers have multiple clients and are still taking 40%. Why not cut us some slack since we now have to pay insurance back.

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  11. does anyone know what happens if we didn't use a lawyer? Will the checks be sent to us or will we have to fight for them??

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  12. If you have a lien I would expect that to be paid and then I would think it would be sent to you. Call the tort trustee Lynn Riley.

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  13. Per the DOJ the money will have to be paid back by victims when they receive any money and not from fines imposed.

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