May 13, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
In 2012 alone, the False Claims Act (“FCA”) was responsible for recovering over $2 billion stolen through healthcare fraud, Medicare scams, and unlawful billing practices. Ending healthcare fraud has been a non-stop pursuit over the past several years due to the implementation of several programs and task forces aimed at […]
May 12, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
Jacksonville-area hospital Baptist Health, through its parent company, has agreed to pay $2.5 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit alleging healthcare fraud. The hospital is accused of having unlawfully exploited Medicare and Medicaid funds by billing the government for services not rendered or for services rendered that were not medically […]
May 9, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
In a recent settlement out of Tennessee, California-based CRC Health Group, Inc. has agreed to pay $9.25 million to settle allegations of Medicaid fraud involving one of its addiction treatment centers located in the city of Burns. The settlement is the result of a joint investigation by the Tennessee Attorney […]
May 7, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
In yet another healthcare fraud case, an Oklahoma-based hospital, its parent company Health Management Associates, and Dr. Daniel Castro have agreed to settle a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the federal False Claims Act and its Oklahoma counterpart. According to the allegations found in the complaint, the medical professionals involved were […]
May 6, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
The Kansas-based cancer center known as Hope Cancer Institute and one of its physicians recently settled with the U.S. government over allegations of fraudulent billing practices. In the healthcare industry alone, the False Claims Act has been pivotal in recovering billions of dollars on behalf of American taxpayers. In fact, […]
May 5, 2014
False Claims Act Legal News
The False Claims Act is a piece of federal legislation. Therefore, lawsuits arising under its provisions are settled by the federal District, Circuit, and Supreme Courts. While FCA Supreme Court precedent is continuing to emerge each year, District and Circuit courts are regularly faced with issues directly impacting whistleblowers and […]
May 2, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
The Department of Justice, in concert with several states’ attorneys general, recently announced a settlement against Astellas Pharma U.S., Inc., based in Northbrook, Illinois. The case involved substantial allegations of off-label marketing practices aimed at pediatric federal healthcare patients. As you well know, it is considered a violation of the […]
May 1, 2014
False Claims Act Legal News
In a price-fixing case originating in 2004, two whistleblowers have finally reaped their reward under the False Claims Act and its qui tam provisions. In Rille, ex rel. United States v. PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLC, et al., two relators successfully defeated the DOJ’s motion to preclude recovery of the whistleblower reward citing […]
April 30, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
Amedisys, Inc. and its affiliates have agreed to pay $150 million to the federal government in order to settle allegations of fraud and misconduct. According to statements revealed earlier this month, the Department of Justice settled with the home healthcare and hospice provider after uncovering several years’ worth of improper […]
April 29, 2014
Mortgage Fraud
In yesterday’s post, we began examining a recent audit of the Department of Justice with regard to its mortgage fraud division. Specifically, the Office of Inspector general reviewed several reports offered by the DOJ since the 2008 housing bubble burst and questioned the Department’s record-keeping and prioritization of this devastating […]
April 28, 2014
Mortgage Fraud
We regularly report on the effects of mortgage fraud, including several high-profile cases between the Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and several large banking institutions. Mortgage fraud can occur in any number of ways, including false assertions by lenders that borrowers should qualify for mortgage insurance or failing […]
April 25, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
In a recent False Claims Act case involving the mental health drug Geodon, Pfizer reportedly lost its bid to have the case dismissed after unsuccessfully arguing, among other claims, that relators failed the “first-to-file” and “public disclosure” requirements contained within the language of the FCA. Specifically, the FCA precludes whistleblowers […]