TULSA -- A federal agency should investigate how a Texas company has been handling ambulance service claims because its alleged mismanagement could force emergency services in rural areas to close, an Oklahoma congressman said Tuesday.
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U.S. Rep. Dan Boren cited issues raised by ambulance services in Oklahoma and surrounding states about the denial or delay of claims by Dallas-based TrailBlazer Health Enterprises, a subsidiary of BlueCross and BlueShield of South Carolina.
"These rural ambulance providers form a critical health care safety net for thousands of Oklahomans," Boren, D-Okla., said in a statement. "It would be a disaster if these inefficiencies are responsible for emergency service companies closing their doors."
A spokesman for the company told the Tulsa World's Washington bureau that officials are reviewing concerns outlined in Boren's statement.
TrailBlazer handles claims for the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for providers in Oklahoma and states in the region. Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements reportedly can provide 50 or even 70 percent of a local ambulance service's income.
"We cannot afford to wait until TrailBlazers mismanagement drives them out of business," he said. "They need to provide us some answers about their inefficiencies, their general lack of customer service, and their reluctance to address these issues."
Boren wants the federal Medicare agency to launch an investigation but said a congressional probe also is possible, spokesman Cole Perryman said.
Billy Quarles, a spokesman for the Texas company, said officials want to gather additional information about the complaints so they can review and discuss them.
"We take these concerns very seriously, and will work with Congressman Boren's office to ensure they are addressed," Quarles said.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
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Red I guess I haven't heard about that. Would you care to enlighten me. Wow, kickbacks, another bold statement. This article may have opened a can of worms. Whats the story on the helicopter ride? I didn't know those flights were so expensive.
Hey Tom, Stillwater is just as bad or worse for charging tens of thousands of dollars for a helicopter ride that they didn't need! What kind of kickbacks are coming from that?
Wow, Lawrence, thats a pretty bold statement! I have never heard of anything negative on them before. Besides as a city entity, it's hard to believe that is possible with all the oversight that would have to be involved.
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