Show The Herald Journal Logan Utah Thursday November 13 2003 — A7 Investigations launched in phony wheelchair claims WASHINGTON ( AP) — jurors to notice that she didn't US authorities have launched Fastest growing 50 separate investigations to' Clodomar doesn't own a wheelchair let alone the stop unscrupulous power wheelchair suppliers from motorized mode! that was charged to Medicare at a cost defrauding Medicare and causing anxiety to hcncficiarics like of $3841) Euralda Clodomar' "It certainly is the fastest Phony claims seeking rcim- -' growing scam in Medicare' said Dara Corrigan acting hursement for the expensive have to skyrocketed equipment inspector general in the the top of Medicare investiga- - ' Department of Health and ' tors’ problems Tlie agency Human Services “It’s aboiit a 80 chair’s of a wheelchair that is very expen- pays percent sive and about people trying to cost and its share grew from make a profit ’’: $223 million in IW5 to The medical equipment $6631 million in 2002 ' ‘ f industry has marketed its already Surpassed this year In many cases the benelicia- - power wheelchairs aggressive- ries including Clodomar had ly particularly in television ads no knowledge that someone! targeting older people The !' stole their Medicare identifiOa- - i number of Medicare beneficia- lion numbers and submitted ' -- : ties With at least one claim for claims Medicare' investigators a motorized wheelchair rose ' from ihout 55000 in 1999 to have identified $167 million in fraudulent claims in more than ' 168245 in the first nine 20 states they told The Associ- - months of this year " Part of the increase can be ated Press ' One of those involved explained by improvements Clodomar who lives in the Los! that allow the wheelchairs to turn in a small radius But an Angeles area and testified' ii wheelchair supplier industry group the Power against ' in a federal courtroom there Mobility Coalition agrees that ' After she walked unaided from some claims result from fraud the back of the room and and is supporting the current mounted steps to the witness government crackdown ' chair the prosecutor asked “Operation Wheeler Dealer Medicare scam Medicare costs for power wheelchairs have exploded since 1995 when Florida Texas California and Louisiana llicy'a' also puiMi-in- g potential frTiud cases in New Jersey Ihjerto Rico New York Pennsylvania the District of Columbia Alabama South Carolina Tennessee Ohio Michigan Wisconsin Oklahoma Arkansas Kansas1 Montana Idaho Oregon and use a wheelchair : Medicare's 80 percent share totaled $223 million By 2002 that had escalated to Arizona- ‘ - ! million v$6631 ' ' The government is pursuing 50 investigations of fraud in nearly states two-doze- n ' Medicare's payout to power wheelchairs 100 million 95 96 '97 96 99 '00 91 '02 SOURCE: Department of Health and Human Services AP ' who take kick- backs lor writing prescriptions'1 ' lXK tors ' ' ' f AP photo Euralda Clodomar 85 walks in the backyard of her home Inglewood Calif on Tuesday Clodomar's Medicare identification number was ' used in a fraudulent claim for a motorized wheelchair ' sign' up for Conspirators who stage fake deliveries complete with jtietures of patients who pitse v w ith their power chairs Ibr'a ' ' fee- ’ - ' The pah of the cost of ir motorized wheelchair beyond Medicare's 80 percent often is covered by other insurance companies! Some suppliers investigators said charged Medicare $5000 or more for power w heelchairs but pfovid- ed much cheaper motorized : “If there " is fraud that hurts the g(XHl guys because it puts a black eye on everyone’ said Steve Azia a lawyer for the ' coalition ' So far Medicare's crack down has recovered $525 mil- -' lion New suppliers have been banned temporarily front ' enrolling in the program proecutoirs have been ordered to bring cases quickly ami officials are prepared to stop pay- -' ments Medical personnel must certify they have seen a patient before prescribing a motorized wheelchair ' ' Investigators are focusing on scooters- - Medicare agreement in Congress draws near WASHINGTON (AP) — J Congressional Republicans moved Wednesday to close a deal on prescription drug biU after offering to scale back their demand for direct com- ' petition betwrein traditional Medicare and new private health plans The offer drew immediate criticism from Sen Edward M: Kennedy and Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota ' whopredicted it would “not-he by members of the But Sen! John Breaux D- La fold reporters ’‘There i&a rt tentative agreement I I think it’sa middle-oD-M- well-receive- d” rank-and-fi- Butterfly Leaf Table with 6 ’ le Butterfly Table with 4 Chain Chain “!S Is thm bemt price In Thlm "-'- Cache Valley 3 Colon sup-po- : s"- : Table with 6 Chain 4 Colon ivf?i -'- : : I- I f- Other Starting at $799? ' Senate Majority Leader Bill tendered the j Frist offer in a private meeting on Tuesday with Breaux and Sen Max Baucus ' the two Democrats who have ' been permitted to participate ' iti marathon negotiations aimedat rekhingacompro- mise Medicare biH' ' Officials said that Frist with the support of Speaker Dennis ' Hastert offered to drop a longstanding GOP demand to have dirkt competition become a permanent feature' of Medicare Instead he proposed a three-yetemporary program beginning in 2008 that would take effect in one of 1 1 regions of the country as well as four major metibpoli- tan areas After three years the administration would have the ability to extend the program for anpther three years In addition Frist offered to commit an estimated $12 bil- lion to $15 billion in addition- al funds to help discourage companies from curtailing or dropping existing health care coverage for retirees Daschle denounced the hew “It proposal could involve tens of millions of people What it would do is penalize seniors who stay in Medicare” he said “For all intents and purposes it would be the end of Medicare as we’ve known it” The fluny of activity occurred as Frist and Hastert struggled to redeem their effort to win approval of a Medicare prescription drug ' bill that President Bush has made a top priority Lawmak- eri are scheduled to adjourn for the year on Nov 21 and the GOP leaders are eager to have the measure approved by then At its heart any compro- mise would creme a new prescription drag benefit for the 40 million American elderly and disabled people who receive Medicare ' : nn late-nig- ht ar : 100 Leather Viewpoint Sofa and Loveaeat $1199°° 4 Seats $1899 or in Leather $2399°° or little as you want As big WsmlMcp Wh? Restonic Pillow Top with 1 5 yr Warranty twin $2i9 $319 Queen !: - Sofa and Love Seat $1199°? OwsuOjo Full King $279 $419 Sensora “Memory Foam or “Visco Elastic” Full $749 v $1049 20 Year Warranty Queen King $1199 fjftfhrmi to ton g9v i iio frump rtm "ifitt-nuni- U' i ton inuuiKv m° (Lt£fa ' - People who roam shopping -- ! NOTE: By law Medicare can pay 80 percent of tha cost of motorized wtieetchaws and ttirs w reflected in the amount Investigators say the cases cuniitcliide ' Equipment company sup- pliers who submit phony mulls ottering free medical equipment to anyone who'll -- ' - claims1 - -- ' iHiiiim iHth "u no’i Is A hi ii ft iinwmfum minum Q flrfh |