New York’s Medicaid Program To Receive Over $1 Million From Advantage Transit Group, Inc.

Schneiderman: We Will Continue Working To Put Medicaid Funds Back Where They Belong

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman recently announced that the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) reached an agreement with a Capital Region transportation company, Advantage Transit Group, Inc., for repayment of Medicaid funds totaling over one million dollars for Medicaid reimbursements that the company was not entitled to receive.

“Many New Yorkers rely on Medicaid for essential health care services, and when companies take advantage of the program, it burdens taxpayers and patients alike,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “My office will continue to identify abuse and put the Medicaid money back where it belongs.”

Advantage Transit Group provides, among other services, transportation for Medicaid recipients to and from appointments and submits claims for reimbursement to Medicaid. An audit-investigation of Advantage Transit Group’s Medicaid claims revealed thousands of dollars in overpayments to the company over several years. Specifically, the Settlement Agreement entered into between MFCU and the provider acknowledges that between January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009 and January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2014, Advantage Transit Group submitted claims for reimbursement to Medicaid for transportation services and received payment for services that were not rendered. The provider fully cooperated in the audit-investigation and agreed to a total repayment to New York State Medicaid Program of $1,093,202.86.

The audit investigation was conducted by Investigator Michael Connelly with the assistance of Regional Investigator Dianne Hart, and Upstate Deputy Chief Investigator William Falk and the audit staff of the MFCU Albany Regional Office, including Regional Chief Auditor Investigator Charles Norfleet Jr. and Chief Auditor Investigator Michael LaCasse. This matter was handled by Special Assistant Attorney General Erin Lynch of the Albany Regional Office MFCU of the Office of the Attorney General, with the assistance of Albany Regional Director Kathleen Boland. Catherine Wagner is MFCU's Upstate Chief of Criminal Investigations. MFCU is led by Acting Director Amy Held and Assistant Deputy Attorney General Paul Mahoney. The Criminal Justice Division is led by Kelly Donovan.