Two transportation providers contracted by Mahoning County JFS are raided

YOUNGSTOWN

State authorities this week raided two transportation providers contracted by Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services.

County commissioners on Thursday terminated the county’s contracts with Nazik Medi Trans on Mahoning Avenue in Austintown and Swift Care Transport on West McKinley Way in Poland, after agents served federal search warrants through the Ohio Attorney General’s office, taking all their computers.

The contracts are set to terminate Dec. 6, according to Thursday’s resolutions.

Kate Hanson, spokesperson for the Ohio Attorney General’s office, said the searches were part of a Medicaid fraud investigation but could not comment further.

JFS Director Bob Bush said the AG’s office informed county officials of the raid Wednesday, but did not explain why the two providers are under investigation. Bush said he prepared letters informing the vendors that they were being let go and sent them after commissioners’ action Thursday.

“We also have a letter drafted to the other vendors saying they may experience an increase in trip demand because of this,” he said.

The county has contracted the providers for several years on two-year contracts, most recently renewed in May, Bush said. They provided non-emergency transportation for Medicaid-eligible county JFS clients, such as trips to doctor’s appointments, blood transfusion centers, methadone clinics and other medical services, he said.