Mystery transports cost Medicare $30m

[Mufasa556]

WASHINGTON -- Medicare paid $30 million for ambulance rides for which no record exists that patients got medical care at their destination, the place where they were picked up or other critical information.

The mystery ambulance rides are part of a bigger problem with Medicare payments for transporting patients, according to a federal audit being released Tuesday.

Woohoo! Los Angeles representing!

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mystery-ambulance-rides-cost-medicare-30m-auditors/

 

[chaz90]

Honestly, 30M seems low by an order of magnitude based on how widespread the problem seems to be...

 

[Jim37F]

Just saw this over in the "got-stopped-by-some-ems-guy-wanting-to-inspect-my-rig" thread, wonder if there's any connection?

And when they go through your truck do they go through it!
They (dhs, dot) in the past had a big problem with the Russian/Armenian mob basically starting these transport companys and one for example was busted for trafficking ecstasy. The owner is now a puppet master and somebody else runs it for him.

That is fascinating. Someone very clever must have thought up that mode of transport for smuggling.

 

[Noncreative]

Just saw this over in the "got-stopped-by-some-ems-guy-wanting-to-inspect-my-rig" thread, wonder if there's any connection?

I would have never thought of that, but now that I am, that makes a ton of sense. It would be a tough thing to stop/catch, especially if they're running emergency as a legit shell company. Short of a sting op, they'd be getting off scotch free.

 

[gonefishing]

Just saw this over in the "got-stopped-by-some-ems-guy-wanting-to-inspect-my-rig" thread, wonder if there's any connection?

LOL it's the truth! Wonder how many San Fernando Valley/Glendale based companys are handeling this? Hopefully they are shaking and I bet the bosses are getting ready to catch a plane to Eastern Europe.

 

[EpiEMS]

On the other hand, $30mn is a relative pittance compared to futile end of life care, ineffective procedures, etc.

Can't help but wonder if municipal & not for profit services are better on compliance.

 

[johnrsemt]

When I worked IFT service back in 2008 we got paid $88 for in town IFT. under 10 miles. so that is 340,909 transports that are ripped off. So that is believable across the country.
We never had any frauduelent ones; but I always wondered what they did with the ones that we had the reason for transport signed by a nurse that they could NOT walk, and the patient walked to the ambulance. I always documented them as such