rick scott

Richard Lynn "Rick" Scott (born December 1, 1952) is a candidate for Florida governor, a businessman, healthcare industry executive, lawyer and founder of Conservatives for Patients' Rights (CPR), a group that advocates against expanding the U.S. government's role in healthcare. He is competing in the 2010 Florida gubernatorial election.[1]

Scott served in the U.S. Navy and then went into business redeveloping donut shops while in college. He earned a business degree, law degree and joined a Dallas firm where he became partner. In 1987 he helped found the Columbia Hospital Corporation with two business partners. It was merged with Columbia Hospital Corporation of America in 1989 to form Columbia/HCA and eventually became the largest health care company in the U.S.

Scott was ousted by Columbia/HCA's board of directors in 1997 in the midst of the nation's biggest health care fraud scandal. The company ultimately settled the Medicaid and Medicare fraud allegations and paid out a total of $1.7 billion dollars in fines and civil claims.[2][3] After his departure from Columbia/HCA, Scott established Richard L. Scott Investments, a private investment firm based in Naples, Florida that owns stakes in health care, manufacturing and technology companies.