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Richard Quitoni, 29, who owns and operates Quitoni Transportation Inc. in Middletown, was arrested and arraigned in Orange County this week, Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced on Wednesday.
Underwood is alleging that from Aug. 30, 2013, through Oct. 1 last year, Quitoni submitted false claims seeking inflated levels of payment from Medicaid by allegedly submitting individual mileage claims for each Medicaid recipient traveling together in the same vehicle instead of submitting claims for mileage incurred in one trip as required by Medicaid rules and regulations.
According to Underwood, “Medicaid reimburses group trips at a lower amount than individual trips because the cost to providers is lower than the cost of transporting each recipient individually.”
Quintoni, 29, allegedly falsely represented and increased the amount of Medicaid reimbursement for tolls than what his vehicles actually incurred, claiming the maximum of $50 in toll expenses to Medicaid. Underwood noted that there are no combination of tolls on trips Quintoni’s vehicles made that could have reached that benchmark.
Following his arrest, Quintoni was arraigned in Wallkill Town Court on Tuesday, Sept. 25 and charged with grand larceny and several counts of offering a false instrument for filing, all felonies. He has been released on his own recognizance and is due to appear in court on Oct. 3, when Quintoni Transportation, Inc. is scheduled to be arraigned. If convicted, Quintoni faces a maximum prison term of between five to 15 years.
“Transportation for beneficiaries is a critical piece of the Medicaid program ensuring access to quality healthcare – especially for those that live in rural areas and have to travel long distances to the nearest healthcare provider,” Underwood said in a statement. “My office will continue to prosecute and hold accountable those who steal from Medicaid to line their own pockets.”
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