KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Two Kansas City area chiropractors have paid $350,000 to settle allegations that they submitted false claims to Medicare, U.S. Attorney Steven McAllister said in a news release Tuesday.

Brothers Ryan Schell and Tyler Schell, and their former clinic, Kansas City Health and Wellness Clinic, P.A., agreed to pay the United States to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act. The Schells’ clinic was located in Lenexa, Kansas.

In an action filed in federal court in Kansas, the United States alleged that the Schells claimed they provided treatments for peripheral neuropathy and charged Medicare for procedures that were not medically necessary, not actually provided, or not covered by the program. Peripheral neuropathy affects nerves in the hands and feet and includes symptoms such loss of sensation and/or a burning sensation.

The claimed procedures included nerve conduction tests, nerve block injections, ultrasound needle guidance and the purported use of vasopneumatic devices. The complaint filed by the United States alleged that claims for the nerve tests falsely stated that they were performed by doctors when they were not actually interpreted by any qualified health care professional; that the nerve block injections and needle guidance were not medically necessary; and that the Schells’ claims for the vasopneumatic devices were instead merely for the use of mechanical massage chairs.

Brian Holt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations (HHS OIG/OI), Kansas City Region, stated, “Our office will continue to focus our efforts on those providers receiving improper payments for services not covered by Medicare in order to ensure the integrity of HHS programs.”

According to the agreement, the Schells and their clinic deny any wrongdoing.

The federal district court case is United States v. Schell et al. No. 18-CV-02706. HHS OIG/OI and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas investigated. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Fleenor represented the government.

DURHAM (AP) — The owners of a tiny central Kansas cafe whose Mennonite-style cooking had a large following are looking for someone else to reopen the business after it suffered extensive damage in Fourth of July flash flooding.

The Wichita Eagle reports that the restaurant, called Main Street Cafe, was among one of many businesses and homes flooded in the Marion County town of Durham after a thunderstorm. Wendell Wedel says the cafe he had run with his wife, Linda, for 24 years was filled with about 32 inches of water.

Wedel, who’s 65, says he might keep his sausage-making business going, but he hopes that someone younger will step in and reopen the cafe.

Durham has around 110 residents.

Great Bend Post

GREAT BEND — On Monday at about 4:28 p.m. Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of SW 70th Avenue and SW 10 Road. This location is approximately five miles west of the City of Great Bend.

Investigation at the scene indicates a 2006 Toyota Tacoma operated by Dustin Ferguson, age 30 of Great Bend, was northbound on SW 70th Avenue. A second vehicle, a 2015 Chevrolet Sierra operated by Vincent Deason, age 40 of Great Bend, was eastbound on SW 10th Road. The vehicles collided in the intersection and both came to rest on the northeast corner of the intersection.

It appears a cornfield located on the southwest side of the intersection might have obstructed both drivers’ views.

Dustin Ferguson, as well as a passenger in the other vehicle, Brian Barger, age 38 of Great Bend, both sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Ferguson was transported to KU Med Great Bend Campus by Great Bend Fire Department ambulance.

By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post

GREAT BEND — The average rainfall in Kansas during the month of May was 10.26 inches, making it the wettest month in Kansas history, with records going back 125 years. The previous highest average in May was 8.79 inches set in 1995.

A number of governmental entities in Barton County have been dealing with flooding issues reported by their residents. Along with the Road & Bridge Department, Barton County Engineer Barry McManaman stated he has responded to numerous complaints and issues associated with the recent flooding.

“A lot of times we get calls that we have pipes that are plugged or water over the roads,” McManaman said. “Safety is number one. We look if we need to close the road and put up barricades to warn people.”

McManaman says there are some issues they can fix. Cleaning out drains and culverts of debris is the main plan of action for the Road & Bridge Department. McManaman noted his office still receives calls of roadways with washed-out shoulders that have to be fixed so the edge does not drop off.

“As the waters go down we take a look at the issues we need to deal with,” McManaman said.

McManaman added the Road & Bridge Department was backed up on projects. Last fall, the area received heavy rainfall around Labor Day and then again in October. Crews were still cleaning areas throughout the county from those floods when this spring flooding started.

TOPEKA – While the 4th of July weekend celebrations came to an end Sunday, one Kansan was just starting to celebrate after becoming the Sunflower State’s newest millionaire.

“My cheeks are starting to hurt from smiling so much,” the winner exclaimed. “I’m just overwhelmed with joy!”

The lucky Sedgwick County resident anonymously claimed a Powerball ticket worth $1 million more than six months after the December 29, 2018 drawing. The winner matched five-of-six numbers.

The winning numbers in the drawing were 12-42-51-53-62 with a Powerball of 20.

When claiming the prize, the winner explained they didn’t know there was an unclaimed ticket out there and they were in possession of it.

“I buy Powerball, Mega Millions, and Super Kansas Cash twice a week so I usually wait a couple of weeks and scan them all at once,” the winner said. “The ticket just got caught in the mix of my receipt
drawer and I saw it sitting there and pulled it out and looked at it and it said ’12-29-2018′ so I thought ‘oh wow, I have to go scan this.’”

However, after scanning the ticket the lucky player still didn’t know what they had won.

“It said to sign the back of the ticket and claim it at the Lottery headquarters in Topeka. I was just in shock,” the winner explained.

Curious about the potential prize, the winner logged onto the Kansas Lottery’s website and saw multiple articles about an unclaimed $1 million Powerball ticket sold in south central Kansas. The winner was then left speechless.

“I originally thought maybe it was $5,000 or $10,000 or something like that, but once I pulled it up on the website and it said ‘$1 million unclaimed Powerball ticket in south central Kansas’ I thought ‘that’s me,’” the winner said with a smile. “It wasn’t real for me until I walked into this office and they gave me a receipt for winning and said congratulations this is what you’ve won!”

The winner said they plan to invest the money in their growing family’s future.

“I’m just excited. I do have a baby on the way and we’re going to buy a house,” the winner said. “I’m not going to go out and travel the world, I’m old enough to know that my kids need to be taken care of first before anything else.”

The winning ticket was sold at QuikTrip 329R on 1620 S Oliver St., Wichita. The retailer is eligible to receive a $1,000 bonus for selling the $1 million ticket.

LIBERAL – A 90-year-old Satanta woman was injured in a one-vehicle accident just after 5 p.m. Monday in Seward County.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Genevieve Stanley was westbound on K-190 and struck a piece of paving equipment, which was eastbound.

Stanley was taken to the Satanta Hospital for treatment of injuries. She was wearing her seat belt, according to KHP.

The accident occurred about 17 miles north of Liberal.