Columbus – Medicaid patients were driven by unqualified drivers and records were kept in piles on the floor, according to an audit of Cuyahoga County-based ambulette service provider Kafaru Medical Transportation, LLC released today by Auditor of State Dave Yost.  More than $400,000 is owed to Ohio Medicaid.

“It’s scary to think that patients were being driven by people who were not qualified to do so,” Auditor Yost said.  “In order to receive taxpayer dollars to provide services, this ambulette company needs to clean up their cluttered mess and hire authorized drivers.”

The audit reviewed Kafaru Medical Transportation, LLC for compliance with Ohio’s Medicaid reimbursement rules during the period of January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2010.  The provider had no ambulette drivers who were qualified to transport Medicaid patients during the audit period.  A review of driver qualifications found instances where no driver was listed on several trip reports and no personnel files existed for drivers who were said to have filled in for the provider’s owner.  The owner was not qualified as an ambulette driver for the audit period and did not fulfill many of the necessary requirements.

An examination of 648 ambulette services also identified 374 errors due to missing certificates of medical necessity (doctors’ prescriptions) and trip documentation/vehicle licensure.  These errors did not result in any additional findings since 100 percent of the services were disallowed for lack of qualified drivers. Upon entering the provider’s one-room office, auditors found disorganized records, some of which were scattered in piles on the floor.  Documenting the details of each service is required to verify the service was actually provided and help prevent fraud, waste and abuse.

The listed errors resulted in overpayments by Ohio Medicaid to Kafaru Medical Transportation, LLC in the amount of $347,968.76.  Interest calculated at $52,166.71 brings the total amount owed to Ohio Medicaid to $400,135.47.

A full copy of this audit may be accessed online.

###

The Auditor of State’s office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,700 state and local government agencies.  Under the direction of Auditor Dave Yost, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies and promotes transparency in government.

Contact:
Carrie Bartunek
Press Secretary
614-644-1111