ACCEL E.M.S. suddenly shuts down operations

MISHAWAKA, Ind. -- ACCEL E.M.S. in Mishawaka suddenly closed its doors after transporting patients for seven years. The employees are now worried they won't get their last paycheck or unemployment benefits.

“He and his father pulled up at our house to let us know that the company was shutting its doors immediately,” said former ACCEL employee Matthew Giles.



Giles is still in shock over the news that he and his wife no longer have jobs at ACCEL E.M.S.



“Obamacare was not paying them the money that they needed to get paid and he did not have money to pay us so we had to close down,” said Giles.



Giles says he has only been able to get half of his unemployment benefits and his wife has not been able to get any.



“The lady took our information. She went in the back and came back with this look on her face and said your company has not paid for the last quarter,” said Giles.



We contacted former ACCEL C.E.O. Shawn Duhnovsky.



“The reason why we closed our doors is due to federal reimbursements due to Medicare,” said Duhnovsky.

We asked why employees are not getting their unemployment benefits and if they would see their last paycheck.



“Yeah we have fallen a little bit behind in the last quarter. We have full intentions of paying. It has just been hard to prioritize between that and keeping the operation going,” said Duhnovsky.



He said former ACCEL employees will see their last paychecks as well as their full unemployment benefits.



“Our board is prepared to meet all the paychecks and things,” said Duhnovsky. “We will meet in the next couple of days to figure out unemployment.”



This is a relief for former employees like Matthew and Jesica Giles who have three young kids to care for.



“I need that family for my family to survive to go on,” said Matthew.



Duhnovsky said there is no way ACCEL will re-open, even if Medicaid does pay its past due bills and he says he has already signed up for unemployment himself.