Dentist billed Nebraska prison system $145,500 for dentures for inmates who weren't eligible,

Dentist billed Nebraska prison system $145,500 for dentures for inmates who weren't eligible, auditors say

LINCOLN — The State Auditor’s Office says that a dentist, contracting with the state prison system, billed the department $145,500 for dentures for inmates not eligible to receive them.

The dentist, whose contract was terminated last month, said he had no intention of providing dentures to ineligible inmates but was not given guidance or instruction on how to determine who was qualified and who wasn’t.

“It’s the Department of Corrections, and I’ll leave it at that,” said Dr. David Schrad, who now practices in Omaha.

A formal response by the Corrections Department, which has been under fire in recent years for issues ranging from overcrowding to miscalculating sentences, said the dentist was aware of prison rules. They require inmates to serve at least 24 months behind bars before being eligible for state-paid dentures or partials, and to have more than six months remaining on their sentences.

Read more: http://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/dentist-billed-nebraska-prison-system-for-dentures-for-inmates-who/article_8a96ff7a-3c3a-11e7-97be-eb229fae52b4.html