Michigan Law students spur suit against governor challenging COVID-19 travel ban
A federal lawsuit filed on Saturday, April 25, asserts that an executive order banning travel between two residences violated a Michigan woman’s right to intrastate travel.
On April 9, Gov. Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-42, which prohibited travel between two Michigan residences beginning on April 10. A Michigan timeshare owner had an allotted use of her Northern Michigan property in April and again for a week in June. Despite self-isolating in her home for more than 14 days, having no symptoms of the COVID-19 coronavirus, and desiring to go to her Northern Michigan residence, the lawsuit claims the executive order improperly halted her ability to safely and legally travel. Her home in Wayne County has seen the highest level of COVID-19 confirmations in the state.
The lawsuit points out that the executive order did not prohibit the timeshare’s other co-owners, residents of Indiana, from using the same property.
Executive Order 2020-42 was terminated prior to its expiration date due to the issuance of a new order designated as Executive Order 2020-59.
The federal complaint alleges the decision by the governor violated the property owners’ right to intrastate travel under the Due Process and Equal Protection protections of the Michigan and U.S. Constitutions. The suit seeks a declaratory judgment and damages of $1 be awarded.
Feds: Vein doctor charging insurers for COVID-19 therapy
DETROIT (AP) — A Detroit-area doctor called his competitors “cowards” and treated hundreds of patients at vein clinics, despite a state order that banned nonessential medical procedures during the coronavirus outbreak, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Charles Mok runs Allure Medical Spa in Shelby Township, although Allure has 26 clinics in eight states, the government said.
Federal authorities charged Mok with submitting false claims to Medicare, alleged acts that preceded the coronavirus outbreak.
But he also has submitted at least 98 claims to insurers for vitamin C therapies that were touted as COVID-19 treatments, the government said.
“Dr. Mok is charged with exploiting the current pandemic to defraud the Medicare program, and putting the safety and health of his patients at risk in doing so,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said.
A message seeking comment was left for Mok’s attorney. There are no vaccines or drugs approved by the government to treat COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.
Between March 24 and April 14, Allure treated approximately 950 people, who filled waiting rooms while not keeping 6 feet away from each other, an agent said in a criminal complaint against Mok.
Investigators said Mok considered outpatient vein procedures to be essential rather than elective and prohibited by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
When told that other vein clinics had closed, Mok called them “cowards” and saw COVID-19 as an “opportunity to capture the market,” investigators said.
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