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.
October 12, 2015
False Claims Act Information
The procedural process involved in a whistleblower lawsuit can be confounding at best, fatal at worst. Fortunately, with the help of a knowledgeable and experienced False Claims Act attorney, cases like the recent D’Agostino v. ev3 Inc. need not crash to a halt over a procedural obstacle. Berger Montague is […]
October 9, 2015
Contractor Fraud
Government contract work can be lucrative, long-term, and plentiful – particularly in industries like defense and scientific research. With hundreds of billions of dollars in contracts awarded annually, there stands a heightened risk for fraud and misuse of funds awarded under these agreements. If you work in a government-funded private […]
October 8, 2015
Contractor Fraud
A company known as SteriCycle, which specializes in compliant disposal of biological waste, has agreed to settle a qui tam lawsuit launched by a former employee in 2009.[1. Koenigsberg, David & Menz, John. “Stericycle to Pay $26.75 Million to Settle False Claims Act Case.” PRNewsWire.com, October 9, 2015. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stericycle-to-pay-2675-million-to-settle-false-claims-act-case-300157412.html] The case, […]