NC EMS agency may owe $700K for falsifying Medicare forms

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, N.C. — An EMS employee has been fired over accusations of falsifying Physician Certification Statements for non-emergency transports to expedite Medicare reimbursement.

The fraudulent Medicare claims are going to cost Rutherford County (N.C.) as much as $700,000, reported WLOS.

Officials initiated an internal investigation this summer after learning that documents filled out by Rutherford County EMS might not be authentic. The investigation found an EMS employee had copied and forged doctors' signatures on PCS forms.

County officials say the employee fell behind on submitting billing requests and copied the signatures to get Medicare reimbursement sooner. The investigation also found the transports were provided and were medically necessary.

Rutherford County owes the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services $400,000 to $700,000 for using the illegal PCS forms.

Federal and state authorities have been notified, so charges could be pending.

The name of the former EMS employee has not been released.