By William Tauro
Medical Discrimination is the situation in which a minority patient is not given medical care, whereas a non-minority would receive medical care under the same circumstances. The picture above captures this well.
This is a nation-wide problem, and it will gain more visibility with Oprah Winfrey’s May 2022 documentary “The Color of Care,” which is meant to “catalyze a movement to eliminate racial disparities in the delivery of U.S. Healthcare.”
Dr. Mouhab Rizkallah, has been trying to eliminate such racial disparities in dental care since 2012. Rizkallah is the President of the Medicaid Orthodontists of Massachusetts Association (MOMA), through which he has filed dozens of self-funded litigations on behalf of needy minority patients.
Rizkallah says “Oprah Winfrey deserves a civil rights medal for her documentary. I need help exposing these human atrocities in which state officers force good doctors to overlook real problems that exist in minorities.”
Rizkallah went on to ask “If our society believes in racial equality, then why are doctors forced to misdiagnose minority populations and give them substandard care? I am trying to stop it, but I am exhausted.”
The Somerville/Medford News Weekly has reviewed four Class Action lawsuits filed by Dr. Rizkallah, and each lawsuit represent thousands of kids.
The four lawsuits all accuse MassHealth of harming underprivileged kids by breaking state and federal Medicaid laws. Three of those lawsuits resulted in Rizkallah correcting MassHealth’s behavior, and one is still pending.
The Class Action lawsuit that is still pending was filed in August of 2020, and it accused MassHealth and DentaQuest (an affiliate of Delta Dental) of forcing doctors to give “a different medical diagnosis to Medicaid patients compared to non-Medicaid patients with the same medical condition.”
According to Dr. Rizkallah “This is the very definition of Medical Discrimination.”
Rizkallah’s 2020 Lawsuit requested an injunction against MassHealth to get them to immediately reverse their new mis-diagnosis requirements.
Judge Camille F. Sarrouf Jr. agreed with Rizkallah, and in 2020 immediately reversed the changes through a preliminary injunction (a link to the injunction is below this article).
Judge Sarrouf wrote “The irreparable harm that will result to the child plaintiffs in the absence of an injunction is evident” and “…. the defendants likely violated state law,” referring to the MassHealth agency as the defendants.
Judge Sarrouf stopped what appeared to him to be illegal activity by state officers, and so Dr. Rizkallah protected thousands of children from forced misdiagnosis and “irreparable harm.”
Orthodontists around the state praise Dr. Rizkallah for his advocacy against Medical Discrimination:
Dr. Robert Chavez indicates “Rizkallah’s purpose is to have the laws of our Commonwealth applied without prejudice…”
Dr. Patricia Brown (an African American orthodontist) said “Dr. Rizkallah, please continue to fight for the children of Massachusetts…..”
Dr. Andrew Chase described “Rizkallah’s undying efforts to ensure their care…”
Dr. Robert Petrosino said “I give my full support to Dr. Rizkallah as we continue to fight for our patents’ sake.”
Dr. Lynn Taylor Drizen stated “Dr. Rizkallah is so well respected in the orthodontic community and especially to MassHealth providers.”
The Somerville New Weekly received many more positive doctor comments, in support of Dr. Rizkallah’s work.
What is the future for Medical Discrimination?
Despite these doctors positions, Medical Discrimination will continue to exist, according to Dr. Rizkallah, “because poor people, especially poor kids, can’t afford an attorney to get the care their health plan entitles them to. So I fight for them, and I will never stop.”
Rizkallah said, “Seeing people as your equal is more than words to me. I genuinely believe in God, and I believe we were all designed to be equal. Therefore, I report to a higher authority than the will of MassHealth officers.”
My church brought 11 Georgian-Korean kids to Dr. Rizkallah in 2008. The kids had just fled the country of Georgia, because of the military conflict. They did not have any insurance. Dr. Rizkallah gave them all free braces. Very grateful for his many years of dedication to kids of all backgrounds.
My daughter had a severe orthodontic problem, but our dental insurance denied her treatment.
Dr. Rizkallah’s assistant called me and told me my daughter really needed care, and he would treat my daughter for FREE!
As if that was not shocking enough. She then told me he does this often for needy kids – He is a wonderful doctor.
I am happy that you quoted me Mr. Tauro. I would add that we need to change the discrimination culture of state officers. Dr. Rizkallah exposed their illegal behaviors, but it does not get the headlines it deserves. Why hasn’t more media picked this bombshell up? Boston Globe – perhaps does not care about state officer discrimination??
Dr. Rizkallah is a good and kind man with deep convictions. Without knowing me personally, he offered to correct my son’s teeth without payment.
Our family has seven children and we live on a modest income in the Boston area. My husband and I volunteer in our local church and Dr. Riz heard from a friend about us and after he assessed my son’s teeth he offered to correct them for free. Overcome by this unexpected gift, my eyes welled up with tears. How could this be? I had whispered this prayer to God and He answered through Dr. Rizkallah.
This will forever be remembered in my heart and my family’s lives.
Thank you , Dr. Riz for your generous heart of compassion.
Jeannine Hodge
I’m honored to know you, Dr. Mouhab. You are a blessing in my life and in the lives of ten of thousands others.
You have my support, and this support is spiritual. We need more people like you.
I got goosebumps reading this article. I’m sorry you’re getting tired of fighting, but the cause is just, and I’m sure your strength will be renewed constantly.
Thank you for everything you do. I admire you and I am delighted to call you my friend.
All the best, Dr. Mouhab.
Masshealth need to stop discriminating the children of Massachusetts!