Ambulance co. owner convicted

[Guest guest]

United States Attorney T. Jacks

Northern District of Texas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                          

                                        THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2010           PHONE:

www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn

                                                                        FEDERAL

JURY CONVICTS LOCAL AMBULANCE COMPANY OWNER

Defendant Fraudulently Billed Government More Than $3.5 Million for

Transferring Patients to Scheduled Dialysis Appointments    

DALLAS - The owner/operator of Royal Ambulance Service, Inc. and First Choice

EMS, Inc., Muhammed Nasiru Usman, was convicted yesterday afternoon by a federal

jury on all 14 counts of a superseding indictment charging various offenses,

including health care fraud and money laundering, related to a health care fraud

scheme he ran, announced U.S. Attorney T. Jacks of the Northern District

of Texas.  The trial began on Tuesday, April 27, 2010, before U.S. District

Judge A. Solis.  Two other defendants charged in the case, Shaun Outen,

32, of Aubrey, Texas, and McNac, 35, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to their

role in the conspiracy prior to trial.

" This verdict is the culmination of a concerted and joint effort by the HHS

Office of Investigations, the FBI and the Texas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to

quickly bring to justice those who prey on our poor and elderly for financial

gain, " said Special Agent in Charge Mike Fields of the U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations,

Dallas Regional Office.

  Specifically, the jury found Usman, 50, of Arlington, Texas, guilty on one

count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 12 counts of health care fraud

and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from

specified unlawful activity.  The conspiracy count carries a maximum statutory

sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  Each of the health care

fraud counts carries a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison and a

$250,000 fine.  Usman, who is federal custody, is scheduled to be sentenced by

Judge Solis on July 28, 2010.  McNac pleaded guilty on April 22, 2010, and is

scheduled to be sentenced on July 21, 2010.  Outen pleaded guilty on March 24,

2010; his sentencing is set for June 16, 2010.

When in business, Royal had offices in Dallas and DeSoto, Texas.  First

Choice EMS, Inc. was previously located in Carrollton, Texas.   McNac worked as

the director and/or manager of Royal and First Choice from April 2004 to July

2007.  Outen served as the director of operations of Royal from August 2004 to

October 2005 and then from May to November 2006, Outen served as an upper-level

supervisor for Royal and First Choice.

 

       Royal and First Choice primarily transferred patients on a non-emergency

basis to and from dialysis treatments three times per week.  The government

presented evidence that Usman, Outen and McNac conspired to defraud Medicare and

Medicaid by submitting fraudulent claims related to the transportation of

dialysis patients.  As part of the conspiracy, the defendants told Royal and

First Choice employees to omit facts when documenting their transports of Royal

and First Choice patients, such as whether the patients walked to the ambulance,

in order to qualify the transports for reimbursement.  Additionally, many of the

companies' records revealed that patients simply rode to their appointments in a

captain's chair in the back of the ambulance rather than lying on a stretcher.

The government presented further evidence that Usman, Outen and McNac were

responsible for submitting more than $3.5 million in fraudulent claims to

Medicare and Medicaid through Royal Ambulance and First Choice EMS, resulting in

payments of more than $1.2 million.

    The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services - Office of Inspector General, the FBI, Texas Attorney General Greg

Abbott's Office - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the U.S. Office of Personnel

Management and IRS - Criminal Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney

McCarthy are prosecuting the case.

[Guest guest]

On Saturday, May 8, 2010 19:36, THEDUDMAN@... said:

> You know, all the educators on here, we really need to make sure we are

teaching

> our EMS students to never let anyone talk you into committing fraud and to

walk

> away from companies like this when they tell you to and to call the

> authorities...we really need to work to cut off the labor pool from folks that

try

> this type of garbage...

Excellent suggestion! I have long advocated an intensive curriculum of ethics

be included in EMS education. The better educators are already doing so, to

some extent.

Unfortunately, educators are also part of the problem, in that they are cranking

out way more EMTs than there are EMS positions for them. They're lured into the

schools under the horribly mistaken presumption that 120 hours puts them on the

path to glory and riches, blissfully unaware that most never find an EMT job at

all, and those that do usually are only running these non-emergency transfers

for minimum wage. If the schools would quit saturating the market with cheap

labour, our worth and credibility could significantly increase, and a lot fewer

people would be willing to settle for dubious employment just to make ends meet.

Rob

[Guest guest]

On Saturday, May 8, 2010 19:36, THEDUDMAN@... said:

> You know, all the educators on here, we really need to make sure we are

teaching

> our EMS students to never let anyone talk you into committing fraud and to

walk

> away from companies like this when they tell you to and to call the

> authorities...we really need to work to cut off the labor pool from folks that

try

> this type of garbage...

Excellent suggestion! I have long advocated an intensive curriculum of ethics

be included in EMS education. The better educators are already doing so, to

some extent.

Unfortunately, educators are also part of the problem, in that they are cranking

out way more EMTs than there are EMS positions for them. They're lured into the

schools under the horribly mistaken presumption that 120 hours puts them on the

path to glory and riches, blissfully unaware that most never find an EMT job at

all, and those that do usually are only running these non-emergency transfers

for minimum wage. If the schools would quit saturating the market with cheap

labour, our worth and credibility could significantly increase, and a lot fewer

people would be willing to settle for dubious employment just to make ends meet.

Rob

[Guest guest]

On Saturday, May 8, 2010 19:36, THEDUDMAN@... said:

> You know, all the educators on here, we really need to make sure we are

teaching

> our EMS students to never let anyone talk you into committing fraud and to

walk

> away from companies like this when they tell you to and to call the

> authorities...we really need to work to cut off the labor pool from folks that

try

> this type of garbage...

Excellent suggestion! I have long advocated an intensive curriculum of ethics

be included in EMS education. The better educators are already doing so, to

some extent.

Unfortunately, educators are also part of the problem, in that they are cranking

out way more EMTs than there are EMS positions for them. They're lured into the

schools under the horribly mistaken presumption that 120 hours puts them on the

path to glory and riches, blissfully unaware that most never find an EMT job at

all, and those that do usually are only running these non-emergency transfers

for minimum wage. If the schools would quit saturating the market with cheap

labour, our worth and credibility could significantly increase, and a lot fewer

people would be willing to settle for dubious employment just to make ends meet.

Rob

[Guest guest]

I don't know about the rest of the EMS educators, but I cover it over and over

and even write scenarios about it. We cover it in medical/legal, medical

ethics, ambulance operations, documentation, and in general conversations

throughout the course. I have a question on one of my exams about " who's liable

for medicare fraud? "

I suspect many other educators follow the same practices.

G

Ambulance co. owner convicted

United States Attorney T. Jacks

Northern District of Texas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2010 PHONE:

www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn

FEDERAL

JURY CONVICTS LOCAL AMBULANCE COMPANY OWNER

Defendant Fraudulently Billed Government More Than $3.5 Million for Transferring

Patients to Scheduled Dialysis Appointments

DALLAS - The owner/operator of Royal Ambulance Service, Inc. and First Choice

EMS, Inc., Muhammed Nasiru Usman, was convicted yesterday afternoon by a federal

jury on all 14 counts of a superseding indictment charging various offenses,

including health care fraud and money laundering, related to a health care fraud

scheme he ran, announced U.S. Attorney T. Jacks of the Northern District

of Texas. The trial began on Tuesday, April 27, 2010, before U.S. District

Judge A. Solis. Two other defendants charged in the case, Shaun Outen,

32, of Aubrey, Texas, and McNac, 35, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to their

role in the conspiracy prior to trial.

" This verdict is the culmination of a concerted and joint effort by the HHS

Office of Investigations, the FBI and the Texas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to

quickly bring to justice those who prey on our poor and elderly for financial

gain, " said Special Agent in Charge Mike Fields of the U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations,

Dallas Regional Office.

Specifically, the jury found Usman, 50, of Arlington, Texas, guilty on one count

of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 12 counts of health care fraud and

one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from

specified unlawful activity. The conspiracy count carries a maximum statutory

sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Each of the health care

fraud counts carries a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison and a

$250,000 fine. Usman, who is federal custody, is scheduled to be sentenced by

Judge Solis on July 28, 2010. McNac pleaded guilty on April 22, 2010, and is

scheduled to be sentenced on July 21, 2010. Outen pleaded guilty on March 24,

2010; his sentencing is set for June 16, 2010.

When in business, Royal had offices in Dallas and DeSoto, Texas. First Choice

EMS, Inc. was previously located in Carrollton, Texas. McNac worked as the

director and/or manager of Royal and First Choice from April 2004 to July 2007.

Outen served as the director of operations of Royal from August 2004 to October

2005 and then from May to November 2006, Outen served as an upper-level

supervisor for Royal and First Choice.

Royal and First Choice primarily transferred patients on a non-emergency

basis to and from dialysis treatments three times per week. The government

presented evidence that Usman, Outen and McNac conspired to defraud Medicare and

Medicaid by submitting fraudulent claims related to the transportation of

dialysis patients. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants told Royal and

First Choice employees to omit facts when documenting their transports of Royal

and First Choice patients, such as whether the patients walked to the ambulance,

in order to qualify the transports for reimbursement. Additionally, many of the

companies' records revealed that patients simply rode to their appointments in a

captain's chair in the back of the ambulance rather than lying on a stretcher.

The government presented further evidence that Usman, Outen and McNac were

responsible for submitting more than $3.5 million in fraudulent claims to

Medicare and Medicaid through Royal Ambulance and First Choice EMS, resulting in

payments of more than $1.2 million.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services - Office of Inspector General, the FBI, Texas Attorney General Greg

Abbott's Office - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the U.S. Office of Personnel

Management and IRS - Criminal Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney

McCarthy are prosecuting the case.

[Guest guest]

I don't know about the rest of the EMS educators, but I cover it over and over

and even write scenarios about it. We cover it in medical/legal, medical

ethics, ambulance operations, documentation, and in general conversations

throughout the course. I have a question on one of my exams about " who's liable

for medicare fraud? "

I suspect many other educators follow the same practices.

G

Ambulance co. owner convicted

United States Attorney T. Jacks

Northern District of Texas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2010 PHONE:

www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn

FEDERAL

JURY CONVICTS LOCAL AMBULANCE COMPANY OWNER

Defendant Fraudulently Billed Government More Than $3.5 Million for Transferring

Patients to Scheduled Dialysis Appointments

DALLAS - The owner/operator of Royal Ambulance Service, Inc. and First Choice

EMS, Inc., Muhammed Nasiru Usman, was convicted yesterday afternoon by a federal

jury on all 14 counts of a superseding indictment charging various offenses,

including health care fraud and money laundering, related to a health care fraud

scheme he ran, announced U.S. Attorney T. Jacks of the Northern District

of Texas. The trial began on Tuesday, April 27, 2010, before U.S. District

Judge A. Solis. Two other defendants charged in the case, Shaun Outen,

32, of Aubrey, Texas, and McNac, 35, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to their

role in the conspiracy prior to trial.

" This verdict is the culmination of a concerted and joint effort by the HHS

Office of Investigations, the FBI and the Texas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to

quickly bring to justice those who prey on our poor and elderly for financial

gain, " said Special Agent in Charge Mike Fields of the U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations,

Dallas Regional Office.

Specifically, the jury found Usman, 50, of Arlington, Texas, guilty on one count

of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 12 counts of health care fraud and

one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from

specified unlawful activity. The conspiracy count carries a maximum statutory

sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Each of the health care

fraud counts carries a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison and a

$250,000 fine. Usman, who is federal custody, is scheduled to be sentenced by

Judge Solis on July 28, 2010. McNac pleaded guilty on April 22, 2010, and is

scheduled to be sentenced on July 21, 2010. Outen pleaded guilty on March 24,

2010; his sentencing is set for June 16, 2010.

When in business, Royal had offices in Dallas and DeSoto, Texas. First Choice

EMS, Inc. was previously located in Carrollton, Texas. McNac worked as the

director and/or manager of Royal and First Choice from April 2004 to July 2007.

Outen served as the director of operations of Royal from August 2004 to October

2005 and then from May to November 2006, Outen served as an upper-level

supervisor for Royal and First Choice.

Royal and First Choice primarily transferred patients on a non-emergency

basis to and from dialysis treatments three times per week. The government

presented evidence that Usman, Outen and McNac conspired to defraud Medicare and

Medicaid by submitting fraudulent claims related to the transportation of

dialysis patients. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants told Royal and

First Choice employees to omit facts when documenting their transports of Royal

and First Choice patients, such as whether the patients walked to the ambulance,

in order to qualify the transports for reimbursement. Additionally, many of the

companies' records revealed that patients simply rode to their appointments in a

captain's chair in the back of the ambulance rather than lying on a stretcher.

The government presented further evidence that Usman, Outen and McNac were

responsible for submitting more than $3.5 million in fraudulent claims to

Medicare and Medicaid through Royal Ambulance and First Choice EMS, resulting in

payments of more than $1.2 million.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services - Office of Inspector General, the FBI, Texas Attorney General Greg

Abbott's Office - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the U.S. Office of Personnel

Management and IRS - Criminal Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney

McCarthy are prosecuting the case.