Did Paramedics Plus promise a ‘soft’ bribe?

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I found this part of Angela Keninvestigate’s Stormland TV story about Paramedics Plus interesting;

Paramedics Plus did put in its own dispatch system for Metro Communications called PULSE and two Metro Communications workers were flown to Tyler, Texas for training on the system. The City and Metro Communications tells KELOLAND News it does not know how much Paramedics Plus paid for the PULSE system that came at no expense to the City or Metro Communications.  Paramedics Plus will not tell us how much the PULSE system cost.

However, we did find in REMSA’s annual report to the City that the software system is valued at more than $150,000. 

At the time it got the City Contract, Paramedics Plus told the City it was making a $1.7 million dollar investment into the REMSA System in Sioux Falls. The U.S. Attorney in Texas who filed the suit says it’s against the law to pay kickbacks in order to gain access to Medicare and Medicaid funds.

Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston says, “Kickback schemes are anti-competitive, undermine the integrity of our nation’s health care programs, and wrongly prioritize profits over patient care.”

When Paramedics Plus was being vetted by the city, we found several conflict of interests with PP and the advisory company hired to vet a new ambulance provider. Not sure what a bribe or kickback looks like, but I would think promising a $150K to $1.7 million dollar investment into the system a little murky.

Posted in: Paramedics Plus, Sioux Falls

Paramedics Plus being investigated by the Feds for Kickbacks

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I always had a ‘weird’ feeling about this company when they rolled into Sioux Falls;

The United States’ complaint alleges that ETMC and Paramedics Plus entered into an illegal kickback scheme to obtain and retain a lucrative public ambulance services contract awarded by Williamson and EMSA, a public trust entity established under Oklahoma law.  The United States alleges the defendants created a slush fund controlled by ETMC and Paramedics Plus that was used to pay over $20 million in kickbacks.

Makes you wonder if the investigation will go national.

Posted in: Paramedics Plus

After being dragged over the coals, MED-Star is being asked to bail out Paramedics Plus

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Angela Investigatnecke over at Stormland TV decided to take a cue from Detroit Lewis and start digging around at Paramedics Plus. Even though there was ten million red flags when they were awarded the contract, like stomping all over MED-Star’s reputation because they didn’t fill out a couple forms correctly, then after getting the contract, employees stealing from dead people (maybe that is why the calls take so long? They have to finish robbing peoples homes before going on to the next call)?

While Angela reveals many interesting issues with the service, like how many times a guy running an ambulance service can lie in a TV interview (and our 911 and health director), I found this part about a ‘supposed’ contract with MED-Star hypocritical;

“Angela, we do not have a contract in the City of Sioux Falls, but interestingly enough, we’ve been called twice in the last couple of weeks to come into town to be mutual aid. But we haven’t transported anybody as of this date,” Jay Masur of MED-Star said.

The City says MED-Star has been “sent” the contract for mutual aid and Masur tells us he’s been trying to meet with Michael Bureau of Paramedics Plus to finalize the agreement.

So the company that was dragged thru the coals during the vetting process is now being asked to bail out the #1 choice for ambulance service in Sioux Falls. It doesn’t get anymore hypocritical than that.

Posted in: Paramedics Plus, SF City Council, Sioux Falls

UPDATE on Paramedics Plus billing practices

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Early in January I told you the story of Paramedics Plus trying to send a friend of mine to collections for a bill he just received in the mail. Well the story gets more interesting.

According to his insurance company, he should NOT have paid the bill. They explained to him that they were still in negotiations with PP because they intended to cover the ambulance call. In fact they said that it was out of line for PP to threaten him with collections when it was clear that the insurance company may pay the bill.

He is waiting for reimbursement and for any action taken against PP. You wonder how often PP has been pulling this trick since they have arrived in Sioux Falls?

Posted in: Sioux Falls

Paramedics Plus ‘interesting’ billing practices

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A friend of mine (over the age of 65) recently had a day long procedure done at Sanford. As a friend of his was picking him up, they told him he could pick up his needed medications on the way home from Lewis, but weren’t specific what it was (they assumed just a painkiller). Lewis prepared (two) meds for him, but only gave him one of the meds (a painkiller) he was also supposed to get a anti-spasm medication. Due to a mixup with the hospital and Lewis he didn’t get the anti-spasm drug and was unaware he was supposed to have it.

A couple of days later a spasm occurred and he was in so much pain from it he couldn’t barely move or drive himself to the hospital (about 2 miles away) he had to call an ambulance. Once there they figured out the issue (lack of spasm meds) and were able to stabalize him and send him on his way to get the meds. Ironically, Lewis still had the meds he was supposed to get in the first place.

While that is an issue all in itself, his experience with Paramedics Plus is another.

He called the ambulance in October and received a bill in December. What happened during that time frame was Paramedics Plus trying to get payment from his insurance OR Medicare. After a couple of months of wrangling with them, they determined he had to pay the entire bill, around $1,200 plus a $40 mileage fee.

The bill was dated December 15th, it wasn’t postmarked until the 17th (in Texas) He received the bill on December 21st and it said he must pay by December 23rd. He figured that was just protocal, so he thought to himself if I pay them a week later he would be fine. He received another letter on the 25th telling him if payment wasn’t made by the 29th, it would get turned over to collections.

So he called them. The first time he called he got a recording telling him about all the great things and expansion Paramedics Plus was up to and asked if he would like to be in a drawing for a FREE cruise. He hung up and called back right away and got an actual person. They told him that the 60 days Paramedics Plus was dealing with his insurance company and Medicare counted as time within his terms for payment, even though he had no control over those negotiations.

First off, he shouldn’t have had to call an ambulance to begin with if Sanford and Lewis would have done their jobs to begin with in subscribing the medication. But the bigger issue is forcing him to pay immediately and not starting that 60 days over when he received the bill. He paid the bill with a credit card over the phone while talking to the operator, but he still feels it wasn’t right.

Posted in: Sioux Falls