Audit Underway of Local Ambulance Service; CEO Says it's Just a Random Audit

Altamont Ambulance Service and Effingham City-County Ambulance Service have been in the midst of an audit the past several days, but Ambulance Service CEO Terry White said the audit is going well although time-consuming.

In response to our question about reports that an agency was at the Ambulance Service, White issued a press release stating: "We've been hearing for months that several ambulance providers across Illinois have recently been chosen at random for audit. On March 2, we too received a visit from the agency with a letter stating that we were randomly selected for an immediate audit that would last several days. Altamont Ambulance is, and has, cooperated fully and has provided/is in process of providing all requested documents. We have been given no reason to doubt that this audit truly is random and have no indication that any specific concern exists that warranted an audit. Regardless, we are confident that we are in compliance with all paperwork and records."

White also thanked his staff for their work to comply with the audit.

We checked with the Illinois Department of Public Health to see whether the agency was conducting the audit. Melaney Arnold, Public Information Officer for IDPH, said that the audit is for Medicaid, which is handled by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Arnold said Healthcare and Family Services handles all Medicaid matters.