By Steve Kardell | Published August 2, 2022 | Posted in Fraud, Graft and Corruption, Whistleblower Litigation | Tagged Tags: Department of Justice, False Claims Act, Medicare Fraud |
The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced two settlements of qui tam lawsuits under the False Claims Act, which allows private individuals to file lawsuits on behalf of the government when they become aware of fraud committed by companies or individuals. Here’s a brief overview of these settlements. Healthkeeperz, Inc. Healthkeeperz, Inc., a behavioral healthcare Read More
Read MoreThe U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania recently announced it initiated a lawsuit against family medical doctor Peter J. Baddick, III over allegations of medically unnecessary prescriptions for Subsys, a fentanyl-based spray used for cancer pain. Case background In the complaint, the federal government alleges Dr. Baddick violated the False Claims Act Read More
Read MoreGeorgia Cancer Specialists (GCS), one of the nation’s largest oncology specialists, will pay the federal government $8 million to resolve Medicare fraud claims involving what a judge called a “sophisticated kickback scheme.” The whistleblowers who helped initiate the case will receive the maximum 30 percent award for reporting the fraud and assisting the federal government Read More
Read MoreThe United States Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced a settlement with Milwaukee-based chain Hayat Pharmacy for $2.05 over allegations the pharmacy made false claims to Medicaid and Medicare for prescription medications. The money from the settlement will be divided between the Wisconsin state government and the federal government. Wisconsin will receive approximately 34 percent Read More
Read MoreHealthcare fraud costs the United States billions of dollars every year—and those are just the schemes that get uncovered. This was true once again in 2021, as healthcare fraud was the top source of False Claims Act violations for the year. Of $5.6 billion in total False Claims Act settlements and judgements last year, approximately Read More
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Justice recently announced charges from a grand jury in New Jersey issued against the owner of multiple telemedicine companies. The defendant is based in Florida and runs a group known as the Video Doctor Network, which allegedly participated in a widespread Medicare fraud scheme. Case background The owner of the Video Read More
Read MoreApria Healthcare Group, Inc. (Apria), a durable medical equipment provider that operates throughout the United States, recently agreed to settle a multistate billing fraud claim to the tune of $40.5 million. The lawsuit prompting the settlement alleged Apria routinely submitted false claims to federal health programs like Medicare and Medicaid to obtain reimbursement for non-invasive Read More
Read MoreThe Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) announced over the summer it would agree to pay $57 million to settle a whistleblower claim filed by a former executive in 2014. The agreement brought to an end a years-long legal battle and put a spotlight on some home health industry practices that may be dangerous Read More
Read MoreJosh Valdez, a former executive for a subsidiary of Aveta Inc., sued the company, claiming it had spent years engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare of hundreds of millions of dollars. The lawsuit was originally filed in April 2011, but was under court seal until early 2014 and went through an extensive court process Read More
Read MoreA federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas recently entered a judgment in a Medicare fraud case against four defendants valued at a total of $339,402,631. The judgment stems from a whistleblower claim filed in 2013 by Grant Bachman, who filed his initial lawsuit against multiple home health care Read More
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