|
TALLAHASSEE - A St. Lucie County physician has been sentenced to 50 years in prison following her conviction on manslaughter and other charges stemming from the prescription drug overdose death of one of her patients. Dr. Asuncion Mendoze Luyao was convicted last month for manslaughter, racketeering and trafficking in controlled substances.
A joint investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the state Attorney General's office and the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office revealed that Luyao liberally issued prescriptions for controlled substances, including OxyContin, with no medical necessity. A Medicaid fraud investigator visited the doctor's office posing as a Medicaid recipient and was issued prescriptions for OxyContin, Roxicodone, Xanax and Viagra without ever receiving a physical examination.
"Doctors are supposed to heal their patients, not hasten their deaths," said AG Charlie Crist. "White lab coats won't protect them if they act like drug dealers."
Interviews with Luyao's patients revealed experiences similar to those of the undercover investigator. Patients paid $80 per visit and received prescriptions with no medical examination. Some patients traveled as far as 160 miles to receive the prescriptions. Luyao was arrested in March 2002 and her medical license was immediately suspended by the Florida Department of Health.
Luyao was convicted of one count of manslaughter, one count of racketeering and five counts of trafficking in OxyContin. The manslaughter charge was based on the 2001 death of Julia Hartsfield, who had been a patient of Luyao for five years and died after taking drugs prescribed by the doctor. The case was prosecuted by the 19th Circuit State Attorney's Office, and the sentence was handed down by Circuit Judge Dwight Geiger.
4-28-06
© 2006 North
Country Gazette
|
