Opinion ID: 1536896
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Payments to Medical Providers

Text: 9. Respondent appears to have paid one of Ms. Fisher-Hammond's medical providers, Capital Emergency Services, albeit less than the invoiced amount. The Signet Bank account was debited on May 17, 1996 for check 1053 in the amount of $96.00. Tr. 31-32; BX 5 at 1. Although the microfiche copy of the check is largely illegible, the words CAPITAL EMERGENCY are clearly visible on the back side of the check. Tr. 31, 34-36, 228-229; BX 5 at 16a. A payment of $96.00 would reflect a 20% discount of the initial invoice amount of $120.00. Such a discount would be consistent with Respondent's practice of compromising or negotiating reductions of his clients' medical bills after settlement. We note in this regard that Respondent appears to have sought a 20% reduction of the Laurel Regional Hospital bill as well, though apparently without success. Tr. 302-303; BX 7 at 25, 83; RX 2. There is no documentation, however, establishing that Capital Emergency Associates actually agreed to the reduction as opposed to simply cashing the check and failing to pursue the balance on account of the small amount of money involved. It is also curious that the Capital Emergency Associates check was cashed on the same day as Ms. Fisher-Hammond's disbursement check, yet the 20% reduction is not reflected on the disbursement sheet Respondent provided to Ms. Fisher-Hammond with her check. 10. The May and June 1996 statements for the John Anderson & Associates account at Signet Bank do not reflect any payments to Maryland Orthopedics, Laurel Regional Hospital, or P.G. Radiodiagnostic. Tr. 31-32; BX 4-6. There is no evidence to corroborate Respondent's claim that he paid Maryland Orthopedics in 1996. Tr. 136-137. He has not remitted the amount of the reduction (presumably the $1,800.00 he withheld for this purpose minus $1,250.00, or $550.00) to Ms. Fisher-Hammond, although these funds belong to her. Tr. 77-78. Respondent was not able to produce any documentation of having paid Maryland Orthopedics prior to the February 14, 2006 settlement, of having paid the $397.00 invoice from Laurel Regional Hospital, or of having paid the $173.00 invoice from P.G. Radiodiagnostic. BX 7; see also BX 4-6.