Bronson Megadonor-Owned WEKA Mystery: Likely Solved. Kind of.
Update April 26, 2022:
After the publication of this story, a Facebook account using the name “Don Jones” left a series of comments on The Blue Alaskan Facebook page alleging TBA had committed “slander.” An individual using the same name also sent a similar message through The Blue Alaskan Website with a dummy email address of none@gmail.com which originated from an IP address in Colorado. Of note, slander is "making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation."
The "Don Jones" Facebook account has no pictures or information and only one friend. In a comment, "Don Jones" said that they keep their information “non-public for obvious reasons."
In Facebook comments, "Don Jones" wrote that AK license number 180790 was a Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic (MICP) Temporary Permit issued through the State of Alaska’s medical board and that, as of 2022, the state medical board no longer oversees the licensures of paramedics.
"Don Jones" said that last year, in order to receive an MICP, one needed a physician sponsor and had to go through a provisional period before being able to obtain an MICP.
"Don Jones" did not respond to a question about who the physician sponsor was.
In Facebook comments, "Don Jones" said I indicated Donald Jobe did not exist, which is not the case. I pointed out that a former WEKA patient who is also an Alaska physician stated that the license number WEKA used to bill their insurance did not exist.
I placed a phone call to the Alaska Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing who told me that the reason the Alaska license number does not appear in a search of the state's database was because that information was moved to Alaska DHSS where it is not readily accessible.
According to an Alaska DHSS representative, Jobe was issued a temporary license by the professional board of licensing last year but because of the database change over that information is not publicly available at this time.
As noted below in the original piece, Donald Jobe, under the name Wyatt Jobe, was issued a Paramedic License in February of this year by the State of Alaska (SOA).
Still, the taxonomy attached to the NPI for Donald Jobe is 207PE0004X which is a designation for Physician/Emergency Medicine.
In their comments, "Don Jones" continually added in "slander" allegations and said that I should be embarrassed. My coverage has definitely not been slanderous because it was written and not spoken. To that end, I'm confident it isn't libelous, either. And I'm certainly not embarrassed to share the available facts about a for-profit business that used a Municipality of Anchorage property rent and utility free for months to provide federally funded COVID-19 treatments while leaving behind a trail of questions regarding medical and billing practices.
In any case, the former WEKA patient who said they filed a complaint over the matter has confirmed they will testify about their concerns at tonight’s Anchorage Assembly meeting. The former patient says their insurance company denied the $1200 charge that was filed directly with them under the provider name Donald Jobe who is a listed paramedic in the State of Alaska. The former WEKA patient also maintains they did not encounter a Donald Jobe while being treated at WEKA.
Dr. Pietralczyk's testimony can be found here.
A patient who was treated with monoclonal antibodies at WEKA's standup COVID-19 treatment center at the former Golden Lion Hotel earlier this year alleges that the for-profit business billed their insurance company $1200 using the provider name Donald Jobe and an associated Alaska medical license number that doesn't exist.
The former WEKA patient says they reported the above-alleged details to Alaska DHSS, Medicare, and the Alaska Medical License Authority.
WEKA owners Todd Herring and Crystal Herring (a Save Anchorage member), through their various businesses, donated thousands of dollars to David Bronson's mayoral campaign and a pro-Bronson Independent Expenditure group chaired by former Save Anchorage moderator Paul Berger. WEKA was heavily promoted by Anchorage Mayor David Bronson last October when his megadonors stood up its COVID-19 treatment center in the former Golden Lion Hotel. WEKA was charging patients who sought monoclonal antibody treatments a premium upfront treatment fee of $550 and, according to some, were turning away patients who couldn't afford to pay.
Civic activist Dr. Russell Biggs, with the help of the secretive Facebook group "Save Anchorage" and the "Reclaim Midtown" page he administers, vehemently opposed the Berkowitz administration's plan to purchase the Golden Lion Hotel property, which was intended to be used as a substance misuse treatment center. David Bronson, backed by the Save Anchorage group, promised to sell the property “on day one” if elected mayor.
WEKA was also promoted by Save Anchorage members, and Bronson allies Eagle River Assemblyperson Jamie Allard and Alaska State Senator Lora Reinbold.
Last week, I revealed that the Mayor's Office gave a sweetheart deal to WEKA, in which not only did Bronson's megadonors escape paying utility costs, permit fees, or rent associated with operating their cash cow COVID-19 treatment center, but that the Anchorage Health Department also provided WEKA with medical resources under the city's emergency preparedness program.
Paging Donald Jobe
To understand the latest unexplained mystery, you need to know that a National Provider Identifier (NPI) is a unique identification number for covered health care providers that helps send health information electronically quickly and effectively. Covered health care providers, all health plans, and health care clearinghouses must use NPIs in their administrative and financial transactions.
It is important to note that the mere issuance of an NPI does not ensure or validate that the Health Care Provider is licensed or credentialed.
According to a search of the National Provider Identifier (NPI) database, Donald Jobe was issued an NPI number of 1346905494 on November 3, 2021, shortly after WEKA had begun operating at the former Golden Lion Hotel. The NPI database shows that Jobe has an Alaska license number of 180790.
A search of the state of Alaska's professional licensing database for the listed Alaska license yielded no results. A separate search of the same database for the last name "Jobe" did not yield any results.
Adding to intrigue is that according to the NPI database, Donald Jobe lists a primary practice address associated with the former Golden Lion Hotel. A call placed to the Alaska-based telephone number listed on Jobe's NPI profile revealed the number had been disconnected.
Jobe's mailing address is listed in the NPI database as being associated with a P.O. Box in Versailles, Kentucky.
Through a public records search, I was able to determine that the Kentucky PO Box listed for Jobe in the NPI database likely had been associated with a woman with the last name "Jobe." I was able to locate a telephone number for the same woman. Phone calls placed to the number in search of information about Donald Jobe went to voicemail.
A search of Kentucky's Department of Professional Licensing website for the last name "Jobe" yielded no results for Don, Donny, Donald or any male name for that matter.
Yesterday, I sent an email to WEKA's former operations supervisor David Horne seeking information about Donald Jobe.
Horne, who had previously contacted The Blue Alaskan unprompted, did not respond by the time of publication.
According to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services portal, there is a "Wyatt Jobe" listed as a paramedic whose license was issued on 2/23/2022.
In the Anchorage-based Facebook group "Find Olive the Things," some individuals have recently complained that they still have not been reimbursed the $550 upfront treatment fee they say they paid to WEKA for monoclonal antibody treatment.
One person wrote that they had lost access to their online account but were lucky to have obtained a screenshot of their information. Another individual wrote that they were considering contacting their credit card company to see if they could dispute WEKA's $550 premium upfront treatment fee.
Earlier this month, I detailed that Alaska DHSS was fielding WEKA-related billing complaints. Alaska DHSS has refused to respond to WEKA-related inquiries sent to them by The Blue Alaskan or EndPoints News editor Jason Mast.
This post was updated to reflect that "Wyatt Jobe" is listed as a paramedic on the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services portal.
