Ambulance Provider Accused of Fraudulent Medicare/Medicaid Billing

The Justice Department has intervened in a qui tam lawsuit originally filed in September of 2009 against ambulance company Rural/Metro Corp., alleging the company fraudulently billed Medicare and Medicaid for services provided to dialysis patients which were either not necessary or not rendered. The suit, brought by a former employee of Rural/Metro subsidiary Rural/Metro of Central Alabama, alleges the company submitted claims for dialysis patients that were either bed-confined or required stretchers when in fact, many were not at all bed-confined or in need of a stretcher. In fact, many did not qualify for ambulance transport under Medicare or Medicaid requirements. The case is currently being investigated by the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.

For more information see:  http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110401/news/110409991&tc=yahoo