Lynn Firm's Parent Company Fined $10M
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020 READERS’ ADVOCATE Lynn rm’s parent company ned $10M The By Guthrie Scrimgeour stro knowingly submitted false icaid Fraud Division,” said Assis- ITEM STAFF claims to MassHealth for home tant Secretary for MassHealth health services that had not been and Medicaid Director Dan Tsai. Healey orders BOSTON — Maestro-Connec- authorized by a physician. “Today’s outcome demonstrates police tions Health Systems, a home Maestro Home The AG’s of ce reported that the the ongoing work between Mass- health care company with a branch Health and the Medicaid Fraud Health Care in Lynn, and company CEO George allegations are not speci c to Lynn reform but that they do encompass pa- Division and MassHealth’s pro- Kiongera are required to pay $10 gram integrity efforts to prevent Service to pay million to resolve allegations of tients treated by Maestro’s Lynn branch at 225 Boston Street. inappropriate payments.” fraud in a settlement reached last To bill MassHealth for home bill for defrauding “MassHealth identi ed alle- week with Attorney General Mau- health services, a provider like (Editor’s note: The Readers’ MassHealth ra Healey’s of ce. gations of fraudulent billing by Maestro must ensure that the Advocate’s role is to address It was alleged that from January Maestro and referred the compa- the concerns of readers on a 2014 through August 2019 Mae- ny to the Attorney General’s Med- MAESTRO, A3 variety of matters, including the fairness of stories, what The Item covers, stories that Testing at Salem High may have been missed, and the COVID: emphasis put on certain sto- ries but perhaps not on others. It is written by Jo Sullivan, a a time retired educator who is not a member of The Item staff and is not being paid. Her com- to keep mentaries will appear on no set schedule.) the faith The Item has provided a valuable service for North Bishop Reed, Shore readers, with detailed of Swampscott, reporting on regional respons- es to the Massachusetts police sees the need reform legislation (Dec. 12, “Sides Are Split on Police Re- By Anne Marie form Bill”). Tobin During the last year, The Item ITEM STAFF has shared reporter and edi- WATERTOWN — Pan- tor points of view on issues of demic-driven anxiety and importance, e.g., racial justice. hardship have prompt- These special features have ed Catholics, as well as been varied and thoughtful. people with no religious This police reform feature, af liation, to reach out to however, required extensive ITEM PHOTO | OLIVIA FALCIGNO the Archdiocese of Bos- reporting in each North Shore Technician Joseph Hunt distributes test kits in the Salem High parking lot as drivers community, from Salem to ton’s media outlets, said queue up for tests. Story, page A2. Saugus. The Item reported the Bishop Robert P. Reed, a responses of nine police chiefs, Swampscott native who as well as the votes and com- is president and CEO of ments of 12 legislators from iCatholic Media. across the North Shore. Six re- Lynn eld and Peabody “Our TV mail and com- porters, with additional mate- munications is way up, rial from the Associated Press, so much so that we are worked on the story within one team up on the court triaging and answering day of Governor Baker’s re- much more mail, and we sponse, which included reject- Making By Mike Alongi are also seeing more ac- ing several items in the bill. ITEM SPORTS EDITOR tivity through social me- This was helpful to readers be- dia and on our website,” Christmas Lynn eld’s Cate Mac- cause some chiefs support the he said, adding, “I hear Donald and Peabody’s bill, others are opposed, and some very heartwarming Oluchi Okananwa may some declined to comment. merry stories, but there is a lot have grown up in differ- Most helpful, however, was By Anne of anxiety and suffering ent towns, but they are knowing the votes of each of Marie Tobin out there.” cut from the same cloth. the legislators. The day before, ITEM STAFF Bishop Reed is the They’ve also traveled a Dec. 11, when I learned that head of a vast television similar path, starring for the Massachusetts House of There is no doubt that empire serving Catholics their hometown teams Representatives passed the the ongoing pandemic has all across the world. He made life extra challeng- and playing AAU basket- bill but did not have a ve- said there are 18.6 mil- ing for so many people all ball together before trans- to-proof majority, I called my lion households that sub- across the country, espe- ferring to prep school for representative to ask how he scribe to the network’s cially those who were al- another challenge. Now, voted. I left a message, my different systems. ready struggling to make the duo is together again phone number and asked for Over the past six to eight ends meet and people who in a new setting — New a call back. I have not heard are unemployed or home- Hampton School in New REED, A3 from my representative, but I less. Hampton, N.H. was able to read about his vote But for people who are But New Hampton “There the next day in The Item. struggling in all of those isn’t where this sto- Most of us do not have the is a lot categories, being able to ry started. Long be- time or persistence to call so of help their families have a fore the two met up at many legislators. Some leg- anxiety merry Christmas is prac- prep school, MacDonald islators, including mine, who tically impossible without and Okananwa played and voted against the bill, noted assistance from others. AAU basketball togeth- suffer- calls from constituents, espe- A single mother who is er with Premier Hoops ing out cially police. State Rep. Paul unemployed and living in and North Shore Sports Tucker of Salem, a former po- there.” a homeless shelter with Academy. lice chief, supported the bill. In Forer AAU teammates Cate MacDonald her 3-year-old daughter is “We’ve known each oth- one extensive reporting piece, of Lynn eld and Oluchi Okananwa of hoping Item Santa can help er for four or ve years Bishop readers could see all the votes Peabody are teammates at New Hamp- Robert and choose how to respond as ITEM SANTA, A3 ton Prep in New Hampshire. TEAMMATES, A3 Reed constituents and citizens. Police reform is complex, as seen in roles of local unions had in the changes in public North Shore CC offers credit for biliteracy safety this year. Though many INSIDE police of cers are opposed LOOK! By Gayla Cawley school by showing pro ciency in according to Dr. Cristy Sugarman, to the reform bill, the police Marblehead High ITEM STAFF English and a second language are NSCC executive director for the unions have collaborated with bands playing a now eligible for between nine to 12 Center of Alternative Studies & Lynn Mayor Thomas M. Mc- LYNN — High school graduates different tune. A8 credits at NSCC. Educational Testing. Gee to agree to use body cam- who have demonstrated pro - “If they come to us with their high eras (Item, Dec. 12). ciency in multiple languages can The school is among the rst col- Sports leges and universities in the state school transcripts and it has the Swampscott police and re- Winthrop girls now earn college credit for their to offer credit for students who seal of biliteracy and they enroll ghter unions have agreed to basketball a force achievements at North Shore Com- at North Shore Community Col- earn the seal of biliteracy — nine leave civil service, as the sole to be reckoned with munity College. lege, we put those credits on their source of new recruits. De- in 2021. B1 Students who have earned the credits for the regular seal and 12 tailed reporting on Massachu- state seal of biliteracy in high credits for the seal with distinction, NSCC, A3 setts legislation is needed and welcome. Note: A reader shared feed- back on the kinds of stories the paper should provide. This STOP THE SPREAD. FOLLOW THE RULES. reader appreciated positive stories, those focusing on lo- cal individuals, and asked for STAY WEAR A MASK NO MORE THAN WASH YOUR HANDS broader coverage in “New En- gland Briefs,” beyond Rhode Island. Since that feedback, the wire service stories print- ed in The Item have includ- ed more from our northern neighbors. FEET APART IN AN INDOOR10 GATHERING Send your comments to her at ReaderAdvocate@ comcast.net. OBITUARIES ..............................A2 LOOK! .......................................A8 DIVERSIONS .............................B5 HIGH 41° VOL. 142, ISSUE 13 OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-2 CLASSIFIED ...............................B6 LOW 27° POLICE/FIRE .............................A5 COMICS ....................................B4 BUSINESS ................................B8 PAGE A8 $1.50 A2 THE DAILY ITEM TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020 OBITUARIES Beloved Daughter Nicole Susan “Nikki” Bray, 32 Testing extended at Salem High 1988 - 2020 By Guthrie Scrimgeour LYNN - Passed away unex- ITEM STAFF pectedly Sunday December 13, 2020 at Salem Hospital SALEM — The state due to health complications. announced Monday that Born on August 1st, 1988 the “Stop the Spread” to Ronald and Lorene Bray In COVID-19 testing program Salem. will be extended through Residing in Lynn most of her March 31, ensuring that Lines of the two Salem testing sites life. Nikki attended Lynn En- cars cover glish High School. She grew up will remain in operation until then, according to a the Salem close to her cousins. High School Nikki’s life work was being an press release sent by Dom- inick Pangallo, the mayor’s parking amazing aunt.