Columbus– A questionable documentation process led Meda-Care Transportation, Inc. (Hamilton County) to improperly bill Ohio Medicaid, contributing to overpayments of more than $160,000, according to an audit released by Auditor of State Dave Yost.

The ambulette company’s drivers do not complete trip documentation used for billing. Instead, office staff complete it based on daily transport schedules without consistently confirming that a service was actually provided.

“This process is reckless,” Auditor Yost said. “Such billing practices should never be used, especially not for tax dollars.”

A statistical sample of 2,595 ambulette transportation services identified 968 errors, which resulted in overpayments totaling $158,816.48. A required Certificate of Medical Necessity was not complete or did not exist for 876 transports. Meda-Care, Inc. was also cited for 27 transports driven by an individual with a domestic violence conviction and 65 instances of improper documentation.

Additional tests found 72 errors resulting in overpayments of $2,029.97. The provider improperly billed 43 services when recipients were either hospital inpatients or deceased. Testing also found improper billing for 21 transports that were not covered by Medicaid, six services with no supporting documentation and two cancelled services.

With interest in the amount of $9,423.84, Meda-Care Transportation, Inc. owes the Ohio Department of Medicaid a total of $170,270.29.

A full copy of this audit may be accessed online.

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The Auditor of State’s office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,800 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.

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Carrie Bartunek
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