DOCTOR, PATIENT ACCUSED OF SUPPLYING OXYCONTIN TO DRUG RING

Medicaid Paid Over $100,000, Authorities Say

INDIANAPOLIS -- A physician and one of his patients have been accused of
filling OxyContin prescriptions for a drug ring and billing Indiana's
Medicaid program more than $100,000 for the drugs.

Federal prosecutors say Dr. Randolph W. Lievertz of Indianapolis wrote
about $550,000 in OxyContin prescriptions this year for Medicaid patients
- -- six times more than any other doctor.

"Taxpayers have lost a lot of money over this," U.S. Attorney Susan Brooks
said. "It was a betrayal to those people who really need these services and
are deprived."

On Thursday state and federal authorities arrested Lievertz, 49, and
Melinda D. Hawkins, 36, of North Vernon on charges of unlawful distribution
of OxyContin, a controlled substance, and health care fraud.

They were being held yesterday in the Marion County Jail.

Lievertz prescribed OxyContin to Hawkins numerous times between Dec. 3,
1998, and this month, federal prosecutors said.

Hawkins had the prescriptions filled at pharmacies between Indianapolis and
Jennings County. Brooks said Hawkins then supplied the drug to dealers.

Hawkins obtained the equivalent of nearly 30,000 80-milligram pills of
OxyContin, which is the largest dose available, authorities said.

Brooks said Hawkins paid $8 a month for the drug and the rest -- about
$130,205 -- was paid through Medicaid.

Also arrested and charged with dealing in a controlled substance were North
Vernon residents Paul A. Kent, 20, Jon S. Ray, 41, and Cheryl L. Brewer,
38. They were being held at the Jennings County Jail yesterday.

OxyContin is a synthetic morphine generally prescribed for people with
acute pain, but it has become widely abused in recent years.

Brooks said Lievertz has prescribed more OxyContin to Medicaid recipients
than any other doctor in Indiana. Last year he prescribed more than
$500,000 worth of OxyContin, and from Jan. 1 to Sept. 26 he prescribed
$559,432 worth of the drug.

The next highest dollar amount of OxyContin prescriptions from a single
doctor was $87,000, Brooks said.

Hawkins also is the state's biggest OxyContin recipient among Medicaid
patients, Brooks said.