Nine Jacksonville-area hospitals and an ambulance service have agreed to pay the federal government about $7.5 million related to charges it improperly billed Medicare for transporting patients in non-emergency situations, the Florida Times-Union reports.
U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley III said although the hospitals did not directly earn money from the use of the ambulances, the facilities did request that service, the Times-Union reports. At least one of the hospitals and the ambulance service dispute the government claims.