May 13, 2016

A Somerville-based ambulance services provider has been sued for allegedly overbilling the state’s Medicaid program (MassHealth) for more than $600,000 in ambulance services that reflected a higher level of care than was actually provided. The complaint against Cataldo Ambulance Service, Inc. (Cataldo), filed on Thursday in Suffolk Superior Court, alleges that from 2005 to November 2015, Cataldo billed MassHealth for Emergency Advanced Life Support (ALS) services when, in fact, the patient’s condition at the scene only required, and the patient only received, Emergency Basic Life Support (BLS) services. Cataldo provides a variety of transportation services, including emergency ambulance services, throughout the Greater Boston area. According to the complaint, Cataldo’s inappropriate billing practices persisted despite being notified that, in many instances, the patient’s condition and the services rendered were insufficient to justify billing at an ALS level. MA

Tagged in: Healthcare Fraud, Medicaid,