Home health care company closes, leaving workers, clients scrambling

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A+ Home Aid, a business specializing in caring for the disabled in their homes in six central Florida counties, suddenly closed its doors.

"I got a phone call saying they'd closed down and none of the employees are getting paid," said Virginia Stuart, a home health aide.

Stuart said that was on the Friday before Veterans Day, leaving her without three week's pay.

It also left her client's family, and more than 100 other families, scrambling to find someone to take care of their loved ones.

"People were left stranded because they didn't have anybody to take care of them," said Stuart.

Channel 9's Jeff Deal stopped at the company's Titusville and Altamonte offices, but no one answered the doors.

Deal did find business owner John Kirchner at his Winter Park home.

"A+ Home Aid was my life," said Kirchner.

Kirchner, who said he is a quadriplegic, admitted he shut his business down without warning 150 workers and more than 100 clients.

Kirchner blames the state saying the Agency for Healthcare Administration launched an audit.

He said it then refused to pay $120,000 in Medicaid money for work already done and demanded to be reimbursed for past Medicaid claims because of minor paperwork mistakes.

"It could be as simple as one piece of paper and they would demand $15,000 back," said Kirchner.

"I think it's wrong. I think he should take responsibility for what he's done," said Stuart.

Officials for the Agency for Health Care Administration and the Attorney General's Office said they can't confirm or deny if the A+ Home Aid is under investigation.

WFTV