Eleven cities in Texas have agreed to pay a total of approximately $1.7 million to settle allegations of Medicaid fraud, according to a Bloomberg Businessweek report.
The cities are: Plano, Frisco, Richardson, Mesquite, Celina, DeSoto, Corpus Christi, Cedar Hill, Rowlett, North Richland Hills and University Park. Investigators say the dispute was over city-dispatched 911 ambulance runs from 2006-2010 and how claims for those ambulance services were coded. Certain codes allow for higher reimbursement rates.
The cities cooperated with the investigation and do not admit wrongdoing. The investigation was launched after a whistleblower filed a suit in Feb. 2010.
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The cities are: Plano, Frisco, Richardson, Mesquite, Celina, DeSoto, Corpus Christi, Cedar Hill, Rowlett, North Richland Hills and University Park. Investigators say the dispute was over city-dispatched 911 ambulance runs from 2006-2010 and how claims for those ambulance services were coded. Certain codes allow for higher reimbursement rates.
The cities cooperated with the investigation and do not admit wrongdoing. The investigation was launched after a whistleblower filed a suit in Feb. 2010.
Related Articles on Texas and Healthcare Fraud:
Texas Physician Accused of Distributing Controlled Substances Through Clinic EmployeeOwners of Houston's STK Consultants Plead Guilty to $800K Medicare Fraud Scheme
Dallas Agrees to Pay $2.47M to Settle Allegations of Medicare, Medicaid Fraud