Almost too Roman to bear

Winning my award for the most distressing news story of the weekend is the LA Times' piece on insurance fraud. Nine clinics are being sued, not for false billing, that would be practically ethical comparatively speaking...no, they are being sued for wittingly performing unnecessary surgeries on patients lured by promises of a vacation at the beach, a cash reward, or free plastic surgery. The gambit, which they call a "rent-a-patient" scheme, involves nationwide recruiters who convince folks to come to Southern California and subject themselves to endoscopies, colonoscopies, circumcision (really), you name it... in exchange for loot of some kind:

Officials investigating the operations said middlemen recruited mostly blue-collar workers with insurance policies. Many who took part were immigrants, officials said, some solicited by handwritten fliers.

"Those of you who have Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, or any PPO medical insurance plan and would like to make $4,000-$5,000 in cash! NO WORK INVOLVED!" read one flier investigators found in a factory break room.

According to federal authorities, some patients were lured with the prospect of complimentary plane trips and hotel stays by the beach. But others were drawn because the clinics said that in addition to the unnecessary procedures, they would receive face-lifts, tummy tucks, nose jobs and other types of cosmetic surgery.

Stories like this really make me wonder when we get the reality TV show where Christians get thrown to lions.