March 24, 2014
Mortgage Fraud
If you have original information about possible fraud against the government, you may be considering speaking with a whistleblower attorney but are not sure whether it is worth the effort. While this is a common fear associated with qui tam lawsuits, there are also great benefits to filing your lawsuit. […]
March 20, 2014
False Claims Act Legal News
The False Claims Act not only covers exaggerated bills for examinations, but also works to help eliminate fraud pertaining to the use of medical devices during surgical procedures. In a recent case against gastrointestinal device-maker EndoGastric Solutions, the government has alleged a serious pattern of fraud involving executives wrongfully directing […]
March 19, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
In a tale as old as time, another physician’s office has opted to settle with the federal government after facing allegations of fraudulent Medicare billing. Under the False Claims Act, it is considered unlawful for a doctor to submit invoices for repayment to healthcare agencies like Medicare or Medicaid for […]
March 18, 2014
False Claims Act Legal News
The federal Stark Law is designed to place limitations on physician referrals and to create greater patient confidence in the underlying rationale for a patient referral. Prior to the Stark Law, there were no regulations in place regarding referrals by a physician to laboratories or hospitals in which the physician […]
March 17, 2014
False Claims Act Legal News
The False Claims Act is used to address issues of overcharging the government for services rendered by independent, private contractors. In a recent case involving popular wireless provider Sprint, whistleblowers have alleged significant overcharges in conjunction with a contract to provide wiretapping services to federal agencies including the FBI, U.S. […]
March 14, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
Fraud in the healthcare industry is reaching alarming levels. Each year, the Department of Justice works in concert with several other federal agencies and state-level counterparts to combat this growing trend. The False Claims Act is extremely pivotal in bringing healthcare fraud to light. Given the widespread problem of fraud […]
March 13, 2014
False Claims Act Legal News
As we reported yesterday, the U.S. Solicitor General, upon request by the Supreme Court, submitted its amicus curiae brief in the hotly-contested False Claims Act case Nathan v. Takeda Pharmaceuticals. As a bit of background, this case involves the practice of off-label marketing, which occurs when a drug company promotes […]
March 12, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
As we have reported in the past, the U.S. Circuit Courts are split on several issues involving the federal False Claims Act. One of the most divisive issues facing the courts today involves the application of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 9(b). Rule 9(b) requires heightened pleading requirements for plaintiffs […]
March 11, 2014
Military Contractor Fraud
In any civil action, a concept known as a statute of limitations applies to limit plaintiffs from filing a lawsuit based on incidents occurring more than a set number of years in the past. For example, personal injury cases carry a two-year statute of limitations in several states (e.g., California, […]
March 10, 2014
False Claims Act Legal News
The False Claims Act applies to virtually any intentional submission of a false claim for payment to the federal government. Often times, this involves healthcare fraud and fraud in the defense contracting sector. However, every now and then, a story will emerge involving a less-publicized public entity on the receiving […]
March 7, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
One of the most common practices occurring within the context of healthcare fraud involves a process known as upcoding. When a doctor or nurse performs a medical service, that service corresponds to a universal set of codes used to prepare the patient’s bill. These codes are derived from a compilation […]
March 6, 2014
Healthcare Fraud
In yet another case involving unlawful patient referrals, Tenet Healthcare Corp. and four of its Southeast-area hospitals are facing allegations of misconduct under the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act has been extremely pivotal in bringing kickback schemes to light and continues to hold doctors, hospitals, and pharmaceutical professionals […]