First Option Ambulance - Fraud or not?

First Option Ambulance picks up two patients for dialysis. One climbs into the back of the unit on his own and the other rolls himself out to the unit and moves himself onto the stretcher. Both patients ride at the same time.

Now if this company billed Medicare or Medicaid for these two patients, that would be fraud. If they didn't, then no problems, all is good with the world.

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[TexasEMSTravesty]

Apparently I should check in here more often.

@TheOjlaw, I received your telephone call but I wonder why you would not return my telephone calls when I called your office? Secondly I did not say this is fraud, but as I said on my website, "This is an example of potential fraud."

@rotena25 - Which one is your wife and why would I want to spy on her? Besides I was standing in plain site and both medics saw me. Not very good spying, was it?

[Whiteyw12]

Actually you can film anything that is viewable to the public at anytime with-out anyones permissions. Secondly, if you believe that fraud is occurring with this service than you need to contact the DHS Inspector Generals Office as they investigate any fraud in regards to federal programs(medicare). However if you are knowingly displaying patients that can be a violation of HIPPA. Most States regulate the practice of Ambulance services. It is very possible they are allowed to have 2 Patients

[TexasEMSTravesty]

- Certain agencies have been made aware of this video before it was posted here. As far as being a HIPAA violation the video was obtained from public property or in clear view of public property where a reasonable expectation of privacy is nonexistent.

[pcpeeker]

Just wondering why would it be fraud?

[TexasEMSTravesty]

Both Medicare and Medicaid laws state they will not pay for non-emergency ambulance transport for those patients who can go by any other means of transportation. this is especially true of dialysis patients. Obviously one of the people could walk while the other could have taken a wheel chair van. Next, they double loaded. If they only charged half the transport for each patient it might be covered. Now I am not sure how they billed it but if they billed Medicare or Medicaid then it is illegal.

[Acutecareems]

It IS allowable to transport multiple patients on one ambulance as long as the patients are transported to the same destination. The base rate and the mileage are split among the number of patients. Check the law, Title IIX of the Social Security Act of 1935. It looks shady and we have only done it during MCI's and evacuations, but it is allowable as long as you bill correctly.

[WildKatCa]

Do you know these people personally? Could it be that the person who got in first wasn't a patient at all and was a friend or family member of the patient who was on the stretcher to help them out?

[royda5eleven]

I don't know who you are filming. But I tell you what Mr. Voyeur your gonna get sued you peeping Tom sombitch. That get you hot? Watching amputees get loaded? WHAT? I said do amputees get you hot?! Maybe you better put the camera down and jag off elsewhere. If you wanna spy on somebody spy on those filthy fucking Africans who are ruinin the buisiness you quEER!

[Osagie Obaretin]

whatever.....i don't care how you phrase your words is still one patient on an ambulance period!

[kolasegun]

What they did is unacceptable. Who cares if she is your wife ?. I'm a Paramedic and your likes are rubbing dirt on this respectable vocation. Go ahead and sue and expose your dirty linen. Crap!!!!!

[houstonmedic]

Double loading is not allowed in Houston unless its a mass casualty situation. Plus I've worked for a couple of companies like this one. They bill medicare for these patients, they told me to lie on the mileage to make it seem like they were all seperate trips. They had three psych patients in the back and both emt's sat up front. I quit working for them.