LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- An ambulance service with offices in Louisville, is the focus of a federal investigation.
The company works in 20 states, but what happened around Louisville has federal investigators accusing the company of fraud and lying about patients.
This complaint alleges Rural Metro Ambulance took advantage of the government by creating and submitting fraudulent records and payment claims for its work with those on Medicare/Medicaid.
The suit claims Rural Metro lied about the conditions of some patients claiming patients were bed-ridden or had to have ambulances transport them. Federal investigators say many of those patients were in much better shape than the ambulance service said and that Rural Metro lied to get paid more by Medicare and Medicaid.
The investigation started after a whistleblower in Alabama went to the government in 2010; the investigation spread to Rural Metro of Louisville.
Since federal prosecutors aren't commenting, we asked local attorney and former federal prosecutor Scott C. Cox who’s not involved in the case to explain how such litigation works.
"They are filed under seal and no one knows about it except the federal prosecutor’s office. They investigate it pretty intensely," Cox said.
Cox says if the fed's find merit, they take the case.
"If they're tried and settled and the government wins a monetary settlement, the funds are divided and the person who brings the suit initially gets a percentage of the winnings," Cox added.
Cox says Medicare and Medicaid fraud has become common throughout the United States.
"Anytime there is some kind of federal program that involves billions of dollars there is going to be some kind of fraud," added Cox.
In a statement Rural Metro Ambulance says these allegations are without merit. The company intends to vigorously defend itself against the allegations contained in the government complaint.
