October 28, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
With just one week before the start of a False Claims Act trial involving drug manufacturer Novartis Pharmaceuticals, the company decided to avoid the unpredictability of a jury in favor of a calculated $390 million settlement. The company is facing several False Claims Act lawsuits involving a number of different […]
October 27, 2015
Contractor Fraud
In yet another case of defense contractor fraud, a company known as APL, Ltd. has agreed to pay $9.8 million to the federal government amid allegations of false billing. APL is a Scottsdale, Arizona-based subsidiary of Singapore’s Neptune Orient Lines Limited, a global shipping company engaged in the transcontinental transport […]
October 26, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
In some cases, a company facing possible liability under the False Claims Act may opt to self-report and self-disclose the potential violations, which typically results in a lesser fine and may help offset some of the statutory penalties awaiting violators of the Act. In today’s case, we review a recent […]
October 23, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
Under federal regulations, government healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid are only available to cover end-of-life services once a patient has reached a terminal point in their illness or injury. Unlike curative care, palliative care is only designed to make a patient more comfortable. Program regulations state that curative methods […]
October 22, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
Ideally, False Claims Act lawsuits are resolved via a negotiated settlement between the whistleblower, the defendant, and the government. However, if a settlement agreement cannot be reached, the parties must press on toward a trial – an option that sets up both sides for a greater amount of unpredictability and […]
October 21, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
A Kentucky-based company known as Nurses’ Registry and Home Health Corp. has agreed to pay $16 million to settle False Claims Act allegations that it defrauded the Medicare program. The case was originally filed by two whistleblowers – former employees of the company – who suspected it was exaggerating the […]
October 20, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
In one of the larger healthcare fraud settlements of 2015, Millennium Health, LLC has agreed to pay $256 million to settle allegations it engaged in fraudulent and illegal activity with regard to urine drug screens and orders for urinalysis. The case got its start thanks to a lawsuit filed by […]
October 19, 2015
Contractor Fraud
Arkansas-based One Bank & Trust, N.A. recently settled allegations against it for $4 million as the result of an ongoing fraud investigation surrounding misused government funds. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint stating that One Bank & Trust, under the direction of its late CEO […]
October 16, 2015
Military Contractor Fraud
One of the founding goals of the False Claims Act was to root out fraud among Civil War-era defense contractors. The False Claims Act was first proposed over 150 years ago to help military leaders navigate questionable weapon contracts, but fraudulent defense claims still pose a problem today. The fraud […]
October 15, 2015
Mortgage Fraud
In another case involving costly mortgage fraud, Cincinnati-based Fifth Third Bancorp recently settled False Claims Act allegations for $85 million.[1. United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of New York. “Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces $85 Million Settlement With Fifth Third Bancorp Over Failures To Self-Report Defective Mortgage Loans To FHA.” Justice.gov. http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/manhattan-us-attorney-announces-85-million-settlement-fifth-third-bancorp-over-failures […]
October 14, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
When it comes to reporting healthcare fraud, the stakes can be high. In milder cases, defendants may be engaged in fraudulent billing or upcoding to pad profits and increase revenues. However, in more dire cases, defendants have been known to order medically unnecessary procedures for the sole purpose of billing […]
October 13, 2015
False Claims Act Legal News
In yesterday’s post, we discussed various issues that can arise at the pleadings stage of a False Claims Act lawsuit. To correct any perceived deficiencies, relators may ask to submit an amended complaint to include additional information, add or delete certain defendants, or fix errors concerning formatting or filing requirements.