March 19, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
Medical practitioners seeking to treat Medicare patients are required to abide by the policy manuals and guidelines put out by the federal government. If a practitioner knowingly violates these mandates and intentionally bills Medicare for reimbursement despite the deviation, this could trigger False Claims Act liability. One of the more […]
March 18, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
In a recent False Claims Act settlement out of California, an oncologist has agreed to pay $500,000 to settle claims of using and seeking reimbursement for unapproved chemotherapy drugs in violation of FDA regulations. This practice is just one type of dangerous healthcare fraud that, with the help of the […]
March 17, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
As we have previously reported on this blog, hospice care fraud is one of the major emerging trends facing the federal and state governments, costing millions of tax dollars annually in misspending and waste. In today’s case, we review a settlement involving a New York-based hospice center, which has agreed […]
March 16, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
In a landmark healthcare fraud case, one Louisiana-based cardiologist recently closed the books on a concurrent criminal-civil crackdown on his fraudulent billing and accounting practices. The doctor, along with two medical offices, recently settled the civil False Claims Act side of the matter. The settlement occurred nearly seven years after […]
March 13, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
In 2014, the U.S. Department of Justice settled a major kickback case involving the pharmaceutical giant Teva Pharmaceuticals. As you may recall, Teva Pharmaceuticals was alleged to have offered lucrative kickbacks in the form of “consulting fees,” vacations, and other incentives to psychiatrists and treating physicians in exchange for their […]
March 12, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
The scheme at issue in today’s post may get points for creativity, but it wasn’t enough to evade the healthcare fraud task force charged with punishing and deterring wasteful and illegal misconduct. In today’s case, we discuss a recent settlement involving two South Florida healthcare practitioners and their wives accused […]
March 11, 2015
Customs Fraud
Three U.S.-based importers of aluminum products, including California-based C.R. Laurence Co. Inc., Florida-based Southeastern Aluminum Products Inc., and Texas-based Waterfall Group LLC have agreed to pay a total of $3 million to settle allegations of evading proper customs payments for the importation of aluminum extrusions from China. Companies that cheat […]
March 10, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
Known as the “purple pill,” AstraZeneca’s Nexium is a breakthrough drug targeting the symptoms of acid reflux disease, including painful and damaging esophageal burning and pain. However, according to recent allegations revealed in a Department of Justice press release, the company may have gone to too far to ensure its […]
March 9, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
The False Claims Act has proven extremely successful in combating wasteful healthcare fraud. In fact, fiscal year 2014 proved so far to be the most lucrative year in terms of healthcare fraud settlements and verdicts. To trigger possible liability under the False Claims Act, a whistleblower must allege that certain […]
March 4, 2015
Rule 9(b)
The federal False Claims Act can apply to just about any act of fraud involving taxpayer dollars, including the systematic abuse of government funds at the hands of a wayward cycling team – headed by none other than the disgraced former Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong. In 2013, a […]
March 3, 2015
False Claims Act Legal News
When it comes to False Claims Act lawsuits, there are a number of confidentiality protections in place that are not generally required in a typical civil lawsuit. For instance, relators are required to file their lawsuit under seal and keep the details of the claims confidential until the defendant has […]
March 2, 2015
Contractor Fraud
In a recent False Claims Act settlement, California contractors Arbon and its subsidiary Rite-Hite have agreed to pay $4 million to settle claims of unlawful wage practices involving its employees. Under the False Claims Act, it is considered a violation for a contractor to breach the terms of its agreement […]