City's WC Medical Bills Almost Doubled Under Suspended Risk Manager

Friday, May 11, 2018 | 0

Workers' compensation medical bills for the Paterson, New Jersey, school district skyrocketed in 2017 under a risk manager who is the brother of a longtime city councilman, the local newspaper reported.

The school district in February suspended risk manager Samir Goow, brother of former councilman and current candidate Aslon Goow, amid concerns about the spike in billings, the Paterson Times reported.

An internal investigation report released last week shows that claims went from $1.3 million in 2016 to more than $2.3 million in 2017, after Goow added three medical providers who were responsible for half of the billings.

The number of bills from providers almost tripled last year, the report showed.

Samir Goow's firm was hired in early 2017 as risk manager for the school district, at $70,000 per year, a fee that was increased to $84,000 this year, shortly before Goow was suspended. He said responsibility for increased costs lies with the district's third-party administrator.

The investigation report did find any evidence of impropriety, but the case has been turned over to the New Jersey Attorney General's office for possible prosecution.