December 16, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
One of the key requirements of a False Claims Act lawsuit is that it be based on original information that has not been previously disclosed via litigation, a government investigation, or through the news media. As such, it is not uncommon for defendants facing False Claims Act liability to initially […]
December 15, 2014
False Claims Act Legal News
In a recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice, a record $5.69 billion was recovered under the False Claims Act in fiscal year 2014. This is the highest amount ever recorded and includes all settlements and verdicts across all industries. The vast majority of these recoveries involved financial or healthcare […]
December 12, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
In November 2014, a New York City physician – known infamously for asking Beatles member George Harrison to sign a guitar on his deathbed – agreed to settle a Medicare fraud lawsuit. Dr. Gil Lederman, who agreed to pay $2.35 million to settle the False Claims Act allegations, has categorized […]
December 10, 2014
Rule 9(b)
As we have reported in a previous post, Florida-based Health Management Associates, Inc. is facing extreme liability under the False Claims Act stemming from allegations that emergency room physicians were offered kickbacks and financial incentives for admitting a certain number of patients per day – notwithstanding the lack of medical […]
December 9, 2014
Contractor Fraud
California, along with many other states, maintains its own False Claims Act statute that closely mirrors the language of the federal version. The lengthy, comprehensive, statute allows private individuals to file claims under the Act if that person has original knowledge of the submission of a false claim to any […]
December 8, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
In the context of False Claims Act lawsuits, there is much to be said about the initial complaint stage. As you recall, Circuit Courts of Appeal are split as to the level of specificity required for a False Claims Act filing. Some courts have concluded that Federal Rule of Civil […]
December 5, 2014
Medicaid Fraud
In a rare False Claims Act settlement involving dental care, an Oklahoma-based dentist has agreed to pay $5 million to settle claims of false invoices to the federal government for dental services. The company, which actually operates facilities in seven U.S. states, is alleged to have engaged in the familiar […]
December 4, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
In yet another instance of costly and wasteful healthcare fraud, CareAll Management, LLC has agreed to pay $25 million to resolve allegations of illegal upcoding and falsification of information on official requests for reimbursement. In the context of healthcare fraud, the False Claims Act is triggered whenever an invoice is […]
December 3, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
For individuals in need of long-term care (i.e., a permanent stay in a nursing home), the options are to either self-fund the monthly charge or to apply for Medicaid benefits. As Medicare does not cover long-term care, patients in need of this vital service must be eligible by showing financial […]
December 2, 2014
Environmental Fraud
In a rare False Claims Act settlement involving the Environmental Protection Agency, a superfund contractor has agreed to pay $2.72 million to resolve various allegations involving misconduct by employees. Under the False Claims Act, any person with original information about fraud involving federal funds may come forward under the False […]
December 1, 2014
Grant Fraud
Every year, the federal government puts billions of dollars toward medical research in the form of grants. Many of these grants are awarded to medical schools and research universities in order to advance efforts toward finding better treatments or possible cures for conditions like cancer, HIV/AIDS, heart disease, and various […]
November 28, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
The False Claims Act is not limited only to domestic instances of fraud against the government. To the contrary, companies headquartered in other countries are routinely targeted for fraud investigations, including a recent False Claims Act case against a Netherlands-based drug company now owned by the more familiar corporation Merck. […]