Rick Scott launches campaign to deflect HCA fraud attack ads

Gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott is not shrinking away from attacks on him for having headed a company that committed Medicare fraud.

His campaign has launched a new, 60-second ad that responds directly to a negative campaign against Scott, the former CEO of Hospital Corporation of America, which was fined $1.7 billion in the largest Medicaid fraud case on record.

Scott, a multi-millionaire from Naples, is pouring his own money into challenging state Attorney General Bill McCollum for the GOP nomination for governor.

Scott's latest TV spot, part of an $8-million ad campaign, began airing statewide last Friday.

Looking squarely into the camera, the candidate chides McCollum for focusing of Scott's track record over his own. "That's what career politicians do," he says. He then acknowledges that his company was fined by the government for Medicare fraud.

"Unfortunately, that's true," he says, noting quickly that he was never charged or questioned personally in the case.

Scott then says HCA hospitals have high quality ratings, that he takes responsibility for his company's mistakes and that he has learned from them.

He makes similar statements on a new website, www.truthaboutrickscott.com.

"I think it's interesting that Rick Scott has had to take the millions he is pouring into pricey TV ads to defend a record that is indefensible," McCollum spokeswoman Kristy Campbell said Tuesday. "This information about his past should be very disturbing to voters."

Jennifer Baker, spokeswoman for Scott, said the ads reflect the candidate's characteristic forthrightness. "He's said, obviously, mistakes were made ... while he was focused on outcomes and making sure they had good hospitals at the most affordable process, he should have been more focused on auditors and oversight. He's learned that lesson and taken it to subsequent businesses."

The ad responds to attacks by the Alliance for America's Future, a secretive political committee. Its TV ads hammer home the connection between Scott and Medicare fraud, but do not expressly support McCollum or urge votes against Scott -- thereby allowing it to side-step disclosure rules for electioneering committees.

Scott's campaign continues to call publicly for McCollum to disclose the group's backers, though the Attorney General denies a direct connection to it. Campbell said the group has a right to air concerns about this and other issues related to Medicare fraud.

Scott is also drawing attention from Democrats. Tuesday, the state Democratic Party released a video entitled "Slick Rick" that pieces together media clips about Scott and HCA's fraud record.