Sometimes, people sue writers because they have something to hide. That was the case here. Ron Shrinkman was a writer sued for libel. Well, almost. Jeannette Martello, a physician in California, threatened to sue him for reporting on how she had been enjoined from the California Department of Managed Health Care for balancing billing patients. (This means that she agreed to accept one rate of reimbursement from insurance companies, then billed patients at a higher rate and expected them to pay the difference.)
He did what anyone should do: he researched the plaintiff. And guess what? Not only were Shrinkman’s facts correct, but also was Jeannette Martello fond of suing people in order to collect payments above insurance company reimbursement. In many cases, the patients saw her in the emergency room, so they had no choice of physician.
This doctor made the mistake of picking a fight with someone who knew how to do research and who had an audience.
Ron Shrinkman did his job, and he did it well. We have to stand up to bullies.
