California Medical Supplier Investigated for Failing to Deliver Wheelchair ; August 12, 2011

Fontana supplier investigated for failing to deliver wheelchair


Officials are investigating why a federal health care program paid a Fontana medical equipment supplier for a motorized wheelchair that hasn't yet been delivered to the Bakersfield woman whose doctor ordered it for her almost a year ago.

Carolyn Cahn of Medicare's financial branch in San Francisco said the agency received a complaint last week that a wheelchair had not been delivered to Ebony Ramirez, even though Medicare paid more than $20,000 for the chair at the beginning of the year. Medical suppliers cannot bill Medicare until after patients receive deliveries.

Ebony Ramirez, a 36-year-old quadriplegic woman, was measured for the specialized, fully motorized chair, late last year at her home, said her mother and caregiver, Tyice Morsette. Morsette said she complained to Medicare after repeated calls to the wheelchair supplier, Mobility Plus Equipment and Supply Inc., were ignored.

"I was told, 'It's been delivered,' " Morsette recalled. "Or 'We'll have it there in two weeks.' It was always going to be two weeks."

Mobility Plus owner Michelle Rico said she didn't find out about the problem until Medicare contacted her regarding Morsette's complaint. She tried to deliver the wheelchair this week, but discovered that Ramirez had been hospitalized. Rico said she wants Ramirez to have the chair before she leaves the hospital.

"We all feel bad for Ebony," Rico said. "It's been a nightmare."

She said two former employees -- the office manager and head of deliveries -- created the problem. They have been terminated, Rico said.

She said the office manager manufactured a delivery ticket for Ramirez's wheelchair and submitted it to Medicare in January so he could quickly receive his sales commission. Rico said she discovered what happened after she fired the employee and found two incomplete patient files, including Ramirez's, in his desk.

Cahn said information about Rico's former office manager would be given to Medicare investigators.

Rico said she then placed Ramirez's wheelchair order. Meanwhile, she said the former head of deliveries mishandled orders and customers' calls, including those made by Morsette, until the employee was fired last month.

Rico and her partner, Michael Perez, said naïve trust in their former employees has led to trouble with Medicare and patients.

"This is a story of internal corruption," Perez said. "There is a wheelchair. It's tangible. It's ready to be delivered."

# As posted : Enterprise Media; article By LORA HINES Aug 12 2011
# To Report Medicare Fraud:
Call 800-447-8477 or go to HHSTips@oig.hhs.gov to report Medicare providers.