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Since 1999, providing a panoramic perspective of Las Vegas, including: history, food reviews, hiking, day trips, local information and photos of this great city.

What You Need to Know About Health Care Fraud

December 24, 2019
Heart Attack Grill in downtown Las Vegas

Fraud is a huge threat to health care organizations which can have serious, long-term implications. All health care providers should have a clear understanding of health care fraud and know how to protect themselves and ensure compliance. With this in mind, here is everything you need to know about health care fraud.

How serious is health care fraud?

Health care fraud costs the United States around $68 billion every year according to recent statistics. It is considered a serious felony and carries heavy penalties including fines costing thousands of dollars and lengthy imprisonment. Along with this, health care organizations or individuals facing accusations of health care fraud are also likely to experience long-term repercussions with regards to a damaged reputation and poor job prospects. For that reason, health care providers must be equipped with the knowledge to identify and prevent issues of health care fraud.

What is health care fraud?

Health care fraud is a broad term that covers many different activities. In summary, health care fraud is when an organization or individual knowingly engages in fraudulent activity with the intent of making a profit. However, only a small percentage of instances involving health care fraud are carried out by dishonest health care providers. Many health care fraud investigations are the result of mistakes, accidents, or omissions. According to the las vegas healthcare fraud group law firm, some common examples of health care fraud include submitting multiple bills, billing for unnecessary services, accepting money or kickbacks, and ordering medication without the approval of a physician.

How to prevent health care fraud

Fortunately, there are many ways for health care organizations to protect themselves from fraud. The first step to effective fraud prevention is to have a strong compliance program in place. This should outline what policies you have developed to prevent fraudulent claims and ensure compliance. Not only will this provide a written document of your intent to uphold ethical practices, but it will also encourage employees to report suspicious activity. As part of the compliance scheme, health care providers should have clear policies in place to monitor and detect suspicious activity in the workplace. For instance, health care fraud detection software can be installed to constantly monitor claims and notify managers of any potentially fraudulent or incorrect claims before they are submitted.

What to do if you suspect health care fraud

If you suspect health care fraud, then you must report it to the appropriate authorities immediately and contact your insurance company to notify them of your concerns. They will carry out an independent investigation and contact other departments if necessary. Make sure that you retain any documentation and information that may be needed as part of the investigation. You may also want to carry out an internal investigation to determine the potential seriousness of the issues involved. If you are accused of health care fraud, then you should contact a specialist health care fraud law firm straight away to discuss your situation and get expert legal advice.

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On This Date: December 21, 1986 The Gold Coast opened on Flamingo Road.

December 21, 2019

Gold-Coast-Casino-lv

The Gold Coast Hotel & Casino in 2014

The Gold Coast opened its doors on December 21, 1986. It was the first casino built from the ground up by Las Vegas casino mogul Michael Gaughan, who already operated the Barbary Coast on the Las Vegas strip. Upon opening its doors, the Gold Coast was the first casino to have a movie theater in Las Vegas and was specifically catering to the growing “locals” market of the Las Vegas suburbs. It was the second major resort built on the west side of I-15, ten years after Palace Station.  The hotel has 711 rooms and suites, five restaurants, a showroom/lounge, a beauty salon, a barber shop, and a 70 lane bowling center. The casino has a 700 seat bingo room, table games, slot machines, and a Race and Sports Book.

Michael Gaughan merged his Coast Casinos brand, which included the Gold Coast, with Boyd Gaming in 2004.

The Gold Coast went through major renovations in 2002 that provided additional space for parking, restaurants, and gaming. During the renovations the resorts theme was changed from dark country western gambling hall to a more modern gaming facility.

Photo by: By John Phelan  [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

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Top 3 Play’n Go Online Slots 2019

December 19, 2019
Mahjong 88

Play’n Go is ranked as one of the top software providers in the gambling world. They are widely known for their innovative and creative gaming designs. In fact, if you are a video slot fan, then you have probably played a couple of their games. 

The developer is dedicated to providing the best games to their players. Perhaps that’s why they have won a couple of awards like the Mobile Supplier of the Year from the 2019 EGR B2B awards. Other than meeting their players’ demands, they work hard to customize games that meet the casino operators’ expectations.

2019 has been a great year for this game provider. They have been crowned for a couple of awards and they have also launched some amazing games. Below is a list of their top three free slots no download in 2019.

Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead

From India to Egypt, Rich Wilde is one of the famous adventurous characters in Play’n Go game selection. If you have played any Egyptian-themed slot before, then this one is not different at all, except it has better payouts and visuals. It is one of the most played games in 2019.  The Book of Dead video slot has 10 paylines and five reels. It is filled with special features including scatters, wilds, and free spins. All these features have the potential of high payouts.

The book is the scatter and the wild at the same time. Five books have a payout of 200 times the bet. Another character that pays highly is Rich Wilde. Lining 5 of Rich Wilde symbols will pay 5000x the betting line. Pharaoh also pays generously with five of this symbols resulting in a payout of 2000 times the line bet. Book of Dead has an RTP of 96.21%.

Rage to Riches

With an RTP of 97.12%, Rage to Riches is one of the games with the highest payout percentage from Play’n Go. The game is loved not only for its high RTP but also its money-spinning bonus features and impressive graphics. It boasts 20 paylines and 5 reels.

Instead of the usual reels spinning, it uses the tumbling engine whereby symbols fall from above resulting in consecutive winnings. The game also comes with a multiplier which can multiply the winnings up to 5 times. Additionally, players can take advantage of the free spins which can bring about 50 bonus rounds.

Mahjong 88

This Asian-themed title is quite new in the gambling industry, even though the game itself has existed for hundreds of years. Mahjong 88 is the first-ever video slot from Play’n Go with an 8×8 reel set. It was released in May 2019 and was inspired by the Chinese Mahjong tile game. It runs on a cluster pay engine so don’t expect to see any paylines here.

The game comes with four seasons – autumn, summer, spring, and winter. Each of these seasons has its wild feature that can be retriggered when the player doesn’t get a winning combination. Mahjong 88 has high volatility with an RTP of 96.62%.

Final Thoughts

Play’n Go is a synonym for creative and innovative games. This software provider design games that will not only meet casino operators’ needs but also their players. These top three are just some of their most played and loved slots in 2019. They are ideal for both novices and experts. The game provider launches new releases every month, and those that are popular today may not be tomorrow. You can try

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On This Date: December 18, 1993: MGM Grand Las Vegas Opened

December 18, 2019

MGM Grand Hotel & Casino

MGM Grand Las Vegas Opened on December 18, 1993

The MGM Grand Las Vegas  opened on December 18, 1993. The hotel casino is located on the Las Vegas Strip on the corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Tropicana Ave. The MGM Grand is the second largest hotel in the world by number of rooms and the largest hotel resort complex in the United States, ahead of The Venetian. When it opened in 1993, the MGM Grand was the largest hotel in the world.

Owned and operated by MGM Resorts International, the 30-floor main building is 293 ft. high. The property includes five outdoor pools, rivers, and waterfalls that cover 6.6 acres, a 380,000 sq ft. convention center, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, and the Grand Spa. It also houses numerous shops and night clubs, restaurants, the Grand Garden Arena and the largest casino in Clark County, which occupies 171,500 sq ft.

The original hotel that existed on the current site before the MGM was built was the Marina Hotel. The Marina with was incorporated in to the new design and makes up the west wing of the hotel.  The MGM Grand name was originally used for the MGM Grand on the Flamingo Road and the Strip which was renamed when it was bought up by Bally’s Inc.

Originally, the main entrance on the Strip was inside the mouth of a giant cartoon-like version of MGM’s mascot, Leo the Lion, but this entrance feature was changed to a more traditional entrance; many Chinese gamblers avoided the casino or entered through the back entrance, due to the feng shui belief that entering the mouth of the lion was “bad luck.” In 1998, a large bronze statue of Leo was added above the entrance to keep with the MGM Lion theme.

Photo by: Wikipedia

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Five Tips for Starting an Electronics Business in Las Vegas

December 12, 2019
Wires

When it comes to vibrant cities that are really enjoying a lot of growth and development over the past couple of decades, Las Vegas has to be on the list. While most people think of it as a party city, filled with casinos and entertainment, Las Vegas itself is incredibly robust and is enjoying growth in a number of different industries outside tourism and entertainment. Starting a business in Las Vegas will always present challenges, but that’s true of any city.

If you’ve made the decision that you want to go ahead and open up shop in Las Vegas and you’ve decided that an electronics business is the way to go, then these tips will help you get things off the ground.

Research Your Competitors

Before you even think about opening the doors to your new business, it’s wise to do some research on your competitors. You want to know how many are out there, what their products/services are, their pricing, and even who their suppliers are. The more you learn about your competitors, the easier it will be for you to figure out a way to make your business unique. The last thing you want is to offer exactly what they feature, and not have anything that stands out to customers.

Identify Your Target Market

Now it’s time to identify your target market – your customers. Who are they, what are their buying habits and trends, what kind of products do they respond well to, and so forth? Again, the more information you can gather, the more beneficial it will be to the business. It can also help you to craft your advertising and marketing campaign since you can create a targeted campaign.

Find Your Niche

Starting an electronics business is a very vague term. You may want to consider finding a niche or a few areas that you plan to specialize in. This can help you to create the image of an expert or authority in the field, which can, of course, drum up business.

Do You Have an Electronics Background?

It’s often said that if you do what you love you’ll excel, so starting an electronics business with knowledge of the field is typically going to increase the odds of success. Perhaps you have a degree in electrical engineering, maybe you even worked in the field before deciding to go out on your own? Being well-versed on the trends and products of today, such as understanding what Altium Designer is, where to access a free Gerber viewer, and how to fabricate PCB can all help you to be that much more successful in your business venture.

Be Prepared to Put in Plenty of Work and Hours

The final tip can apply to any startup business in any industry, and that is to be prepared to put in plenty of work and hours. This is your baby, and to get it off the ground and have a chance of success you’re going to need to make it a priority for weeks, months, even years to come as you work to build a loyal customer base and brand image.

All of these tips can help you on your path to opening the doors of your own electronics business in Las Vegas.

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What are the Best Jobs in Las Vegas?

December 6, 2019
Image Source: vegaselvis.com
Image Source: vegaselvis.com

The best jobs in Las Vegas can vary a great deal depending on your personal likes and dislikes. You may think that the majority of employment opportunities in Las Vegas are on the Las Vegas Strip, where entertainment and casinos are common place. However, this isn’t the only employment opportunity. Las Vegas is just like most other cities where you can find a job in fields such as finance, government, healthcare, hospitality and technology.

Casinos

Jobs working in the Las Vegas casinos are extremely popular and sought after. In order to stand out from your competition, it’s a good idea to get some casino experience in one of the smaller hotels or casinos first. Once you’ve got this experience behind you, you will be more likely to get the job of your dreams working on the strip.

Professional Positions

If you have a degree and have had some work experience, then you may be able to find a job as a manager in one of the casinos. If you don’t currently have a degree, then why not consider looking into an operations management degree? Institutions like Kettering University provide online degrees, meaning you can work while you learn.

Management positions can include anything from swimming pool management to restaurant management. Las Vegas has a lot of management positions available due to many hotels offering entertainment packages.

Another professional position that is popular in Las Vegas is working in accounting and finance. Casino owners rely on accountants and financial experts to keep on top of their books and make sure that all of their paperwork is up to date and legit.

Tipped Positions

If you’re still studying for a degree, or simply don’t have one and you are looking for work that is different from the 9-5 role, there are a number of options available to you. You will need to be ready to start at the bottom and work your way up by starting off with shift patterns you might not enjoy. Working your way to the top will eventually lead to you working the shifts that will give you the most tips. To earn more tips, you will need to be efficient and friendly to your customers. If you struggle keeping your cool with the customers, then your tips might suffer. These are some of the best tipped positions:

  • Dealers – Dealers can earn a lot of money through the tips they receive. Dealers are well-trained and licensed in the casino industry. Whether you deal poker, roulette or blackjack, you can expect to be tipped 10-20% from each player. Finding a dealer job in Las Vegas can be hard due to the amount of competition. If you want to work as a dealer, try and get some experience behind you first. Dealers can earn between $40 and $200 in tips during their shift as well as receiving a minimum wage salary.
  • Waiting Staff – Friendly and efficient waiting on staff are highly sought after on the Las Vegas strip. Waiting staff can make a reasonable amount of tips during their shift due to the number of visitors and customers they get.
  • Spa job – Most casinos in Las Vegas also provide spa services like facials, massage and hair care. Not only are spa positions well paid, you can also expect to get a 15 to 20% tip from each of your clients on top.

General Roles

Working on the strip can be a great deal of fun and you can earn a lot of money, but it isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking for something a bit different from this, then there are plenty of opportunities available to you in law enforcement, healthcare and security. And for all the drunken marriages and late-night mishaps, legal assistants and attorneys are also in high demand.

Careers without a Degree

Even without a degree, most of the top paying jobs for non-degreed people require some type of training or certification. The training for these positions varies in the requirements and the length of time they take to complete. The following jobs have a brilliant annual wage and require applicants to have a high school diploma in order to be considered:

  • Manager – This includes all managerial positions. These positions may have their own set of requirements and expectations. Titles can include supply chain manager, security manager and wind energy project manager. A manager’s annual income is approximately $96,540.
  • Transportation Managers – These managers are in charge of specialized freight trucks, railroads, shipping facilities and storage facilities. They are in charge of implementing policies and overseeing budgets. Most of these jobs involve working for the government. Your annual salary will be approximately $80,210.
  • Police/Detective Supervisor (first-line) – These supervisors oversee police operations tasks and are responsible for training staff. They also help guide criminal investigations. Individuals wanting to become a supervisor need to have trained in a police academy, trained in the use of crowd-control techniques and trained in force policies. On average you could earn $78,260 a year.
  • Administrative Services Managers – These managers coordinate departments in order to support services. They could have a specific role such as being responsible for records and information management. These roles are found in a variety of industries, especially healthcare and construction. On average you could earn $77,890 a year.
  • Nuclear Power Reactor Operator – Nuclear power reactor operators are expected to monitor the plant systems. They have to adhere to strict guidelines. Their main role is to check for problems or issues and then make any alterations if necessary. This job role involves handling dangerous materials such as nuclear fuel elements. In order to work in this role, you need to have had 3 years of experience of working in a nuclear power station. You will also need to undertake an additional year of training followed by a written test and operating exam. You could earn approximately $75,650 per year.

Working in Las Vegas can be extremely exciting. Whether you have a degree, are currently studying or are looking for a role where you can work your way up, there’s something for you. You could apply for a job working on the strip, or consider working for law enforcement. It’s definitely worth spending time looking at what roles are available.

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