Medstar Ambulance to Pay $12.7 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

[nitpicker]

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/medstar-ambulance-pay-127-million-resolve-false-claims-act-allegations-involving-medically

Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 13, 2017

Medstar Ambulance to Pay $12.7 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Involving Medically Unnecessary Transport Services and Inflated Claims to Medicare

Medstar Ambulance Inc., including four subsidiary companies and its two owners, Nicholas and Gregory Melehov, have agreed to pay $12.7 million to resolve allegations that the Massachusetts-based ambulance company knowingly submitted false claims to Medicare, the Department of Justice announced today.
(snip)

The settlement resolves allegations that from Jan. 1, 2011, through Oct. 31, 2014, Medstar submitted false claims to Medicare for ambulance transport services. Specifically, the United States alleged that Medstar routinely billed for services that did not qualify for reimbursement because the transports were not medically reasonable and necessary, billed for higher levels of services than were required by patients’ conditions, and billed for higher levels of services than were actually provided.
(snip)

The allegations were filed in a lawsuit by Dale Meehan, a former employee in Medstar’s billing office, under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Those provisions allow private individuals to sue on behalf of the United States and to share in the proceeds of any settlement or judgment. Meehan will receive approximately $3.5 million.
(snip)

[williesgirl]

1. These owners should have criminal charges against them as well