FBI raids Air-Evac home office

[DT4EMS]

source: http://home.centurytel.net/westplainsdailyquill/


Air Evac focus of FBI search warrants

BY QUILL STAFF WRITERS

About 50 FBI personnel descended on West Plains about 8 a.m. today, paid a courtesy call at the local police station, talked with Police Chief Charles Brotherton Jr., Howell County Sheriff Robbie Crites and City Administrator Royce Fugate, telling them they were in the area to serve some federal search warrants and that they would not need help in doing so.
FBI Information Officer Bob Herndon at the Kansas City FBI office told The Quill by phone that he could provide no other information because the warrants are “under seal.’’
As the morning progressed it became obvious the focus was on Air Evac, a major employer in West Plains and a membership-supported air ambulance with national headquarters here and serving rural communities throughout the central United States.
This afternoon, Air Evac President and CEO Colin Collins of West Plains told The Quill the FBI has said Air Evac can continue to do business, and it will. He said the FBI is mum on what the problem is, and he pointed out they are government agents, that this probably has to do with government programs, most likely with records concerning Medicare patients.
He said the FBI has said it will give Air Evac a list of items taken.


read the rest at the source: http://home.centurytel.net/westplainsdailyquill/

 

[VentMedic]

It will be interesting to hear this as a 'whistle-blower" point of view. There is usually a nice reward if the tip is found to be true and a dollar amount can be placed on the fraud.

More info
http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=120161
from the news story;

"Colin Collins, who heads Air Evac, says he thinks the probe centers on Medicare billing, adding that many medical providers are under increased scrutiny as the government cracks down on waste.

Our investigation included details of those concerns, as well as concerns raised by former pilots who were ordered to fly when conditions were less than ideal. Besides FBI agents, inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration were also at Air Evac. The FAA licenses pilots and aircraft"


There was a press release recently about the Medicare Strike force. Some Florida companies have already felt the results of enforcement.

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2007pres/05/pr20070509b.html

 

[Airwaygoddess]

Could it be that the winds of change are coming..... Hopefully for the best. -_-

 

[Summit]

I heard it was the missile launchers they were mounting on the helos... you know... for self defense

 

[Ridryder911]

I would imagine it would have to deal with Medicare and billing properties. Since they are a "membership" service, there is a lot of "gray" areas that is hard to clarrify for the Fed.'s. Most larger subscription EMS services gets paid a visit every so often, so this is not really that big of deal. As well billing routinely for $6,000 will raise some eyebrows.

I doubt it really has anything with Pilots, except they are non-union and most gripe about that. I had never seen a Pilot ever consider a dangerous situation or was told to fly. There is a single veto measure, that only one person has to feel uncomfortable to scrub a mission, no questions asked.

Collin is a smart man (PhD in molecular biology and MBA in healthcare administration) and their attorneys usually keeps them in line. I know a couple of ex-employees attempted some sour grape story years ago to the media, when they competed against a local flight service. After, the attorneys discussed with local media of the potential risks, the media did a reverse spin....

We will have to wait and see the specific.....

R/r 911