Fogelman: Clear evidence of fraud in NEMT program was ignored

Lawmakers learned about fraud taking place within one state program that could have been stopped 15 years ago, according to a press release from District 21B Rep. Marj Fogelman.

Fogelman explained that non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) is a program that provides vulnerable and elderly residents in our state with rides to medical appointments. She said millions of dollars have been swindled from it due to the state’s failure to enact basic safeguards.

Fogelman (R-Fulda) noted the Minnesota House fraud committee found evidence of fictious transportation logs with recipients who do not exist. It also found billing for multiple individual trips when riders were actually grouped together in a van. Some scammers even took recipients to clinics that were the furthest allowed under the law (60 miles), bypassing much closer locations so they could maximize billing.

Fogelman said GPS units installed in vehicles could solve these problems. In fact, a report issued by the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) in 2011 said exactly the same thing as GPS could track milage and drop-off locations.

Since then, even though dozens of fraud reports have been verified, the GPS recommendations still have not been implemented.