During this brief pause, I have been overwhelmed by how first responders and the citizens they serve have come together to support each other in the fight to end this crisis.
Reports abound of law enforcement officers providing essential commodities like hand sanitizers and face masks to citizens free of charge. Rockledge Police Department Officers are volunteering off duty to pick up and deliver prescriptions to high-risk individuals—so they don’t have to risk coming in contact with someone who has COVID-19. In Miami, school resource officers are helping deliver food to students who may go hungry without daily school lunches.
Police cruiser parades are quickly becoming a great way to boost the morale of our medical heroes on the front lines of this fight. These parades are being held almost daily in Florida.
Individuals are getting involved. One Floridian even ran seven miles waving a huge American flag while others gather in their driveways once a week to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in honor of our first responders.
These are just some of the ways Floridians are coming together to support each other, show gratitude and fight the pandemic.
If I was able, I would issue each and every one of these great Floridians a Back the Blue Award personally, but for now I say THANK YOU and keep fighting. Your selflessness and compassion are helping a lot of Floridians through these challenging times.
In The News
Ashley Moody Urges Floridians to ‘Back the Blue’ During Coronavirus Pandemic, Florida Daily
Fla. attorney general warns of scammers preying on online gamers, WINK News
Attorney General Moody Thanks Sherwin-Williams for Working with the OAG to Deliver 5,000 Face Masks to Florida Law Enforcement, EIN NewsDesk
Florida Attorney General: Citizens Struggling With Addiction, Loneliness or Depression Should Seek Help, Space Coast Daily
Ashley Moody: Resources Still Available for Victims of Domestic Violence Despite Stay-at-Home Order, Florida Daily
WATCH: Florida Attorney General Offers Domestic Violence Victims Help During Stay-At-Home Order, Space Coast Daily
Florida's Attorney General Seeks More Help For Homeowners Amid Pandemic, WJNO News Radio
Price-Gouging Refunds Go to Customers, Florida Courier
Attorney General Requests Floridians to Help Fight Price Gouging During COVID-19, Space Coast Daily
Florida Attorney General has issued $275K in refunds for victims of scams, WJXT Jacksonville
Ashley Moody: Medical Companies Will Pay Florida Medicaid More Than $500,000 to Settle False Claim Act Allegations, Florida Daily
Moody reaches $20 million settlement in oncology probe, WTVX West Palm Beach
Protecting Floridians
Attorney General Moody Thanks Sherwin-Williams for Working with the OAG to Deliver 5,000 Face Masks to Florida Law Enforcement
Attorney General Ashley Moody thanked Sherwin-Williams for working with the Attorney General’s Office to donate and deliver 5,000 face masks to Florida law enforcement officers. The donation and deliveries are part of Attorney General Moody’s ongoing efforts to help secure Personal Protective Equipment for law enforcement officers risking their health to protect Floridians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since COVID-19 began to spread in Florida, dozens of law enforcement officers have contracted COVID-19—some fatally.Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Every day law enforcement officers courageously confront danger head on to protect the communities they love—but few would have predicted the greatest threat they would face this year would come from an invisible, novel virus. Sadly, some criminals have even sought to use the possibility of exposure to COVID-19 to threaten our law enforcement heroes, many of whom are policing our communities without access to proper Personal Protective Equipment.
“This is completely unacceptable, and I continue to work with government leaders and caring corporate partners like Sherwin-Williams to try to secure PPEs for these heroes. I am calling on others to step up now and do what they can to help those risking their health and safety for all of us. Now more than ever before, we should come together to support our first responders and those on the front lines of one of the worst health crises in modern history.” Read More
Medical Companies Agree to Pay Florida Medicaid More Than $500,000 to Settle False Claim Act Allegations
Attorney General Ashley Moody announced that Florida, along with Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia and the federal government, have reached an agreement with Logan Laboratories LLC and Tampa Pain Relief Centers, Inc. to resolve allegations that companies billed government health care programs for unnecessary medical laboratory tests. As part of the agreement, Logan Labs, Tampa Pain, and two former executives will pay $535,449 for submitting or causing the submission of false claims to the Florida Medicaid program.
Read More
Attorney General Moody Announces Multimillion-Dollar Agreement with Statewide Florida Oncology Practice
Attorney General Ashley Moody announced a multimillion-dollar agreement with one of the largest oncology medical practices in Florida to resolve state antitrust and consumer protection concerns. The proposed consent decree with Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC follows a civil antitrust investigation into whether the health care provider entered into illegal agreements with competitors that allocated geographic or product markets in violation of the Florida Antitrust Act and the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.The potential effect of these agreements was the reduction of choice by consumers seeking cancer treatment. Florida Cancer Specialists is among the largest oncology and hematology medical practices in Florida—with approximately 100 offices and more than 200 doctors statewide.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Cancer patients have enough to worry about without having to be concerned with unfair market practices that could adversely affect consumer choice. We will not allow market-disrupting practices like the intentional elimination of competition through coordinated geographic or product market allocation to negatively impact health care consumer choice.” Read More