The False Claims Act (FCA) remains one of the government’s most powerful tools in combating healthcare fraud, with a growing focus on opioid-related cases and violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute. Continue Reading False Claims Act Enforcement in Healthcare: Insights from the 13th Annual Fraud & Abuse Review

I commented on the success of serial whistleblower Cecilia Guardiola in her most recent False Claims Lawsuit (FCA) against a healthcare provider. Since 2007 she has secured at least four settlements totaling more than $43 million against healthcare companies; her cut of the settlements is estimated to be about $7.7 million.Continue Reading Success of Repeat Whistleblower in Recent FCA Settlement

On December 13, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) intervened in a False Claims Act (FCA) lawsuit alleging that CVS Pharmacy Inc. and its subsidiaries improperly sought federal reimbursement for prescriptions filled in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

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On July 10, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a nearly $410 million settlement with Rite Aid Corporation to resolve allegations that Rite Aid and its affiliates ignored red flags and knowingly dispensed unlawful controlled substances in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA) and Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Continue Reading Rite Aid and OptumRx Settlements Highlight Enforcement Focus on Pharmacy Corresponding Responsibility for Dispensing Controlled Substances

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published updated data regarding settlements made under the Voluntary Self-Referral Disclosure Protocol (SRDP), an important mechanism through which providers may disclose actual or potential violations of the federal physician self-referral prohibition commonly known as the Stark Law. Continue Reading CMS Publishes New Data on Self-Referral Disclosure Protocol Settlements

On February 7, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released its annual report of civil fraud recoveries for the prior fiscal year, along with its accompanying press release highlighting its civil enforcement efforts.  Our top ten observations from DOJ’s release include:Continue Reading DOJ Releases Annual Civil Fraud Recovery Statistics and Results

On August 30, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit held, as a matter of first impression, that damages in False Claims Act cases are subject to pro tanto (dollar-for-dollar) settlement offsets in cases involving multiple jointly and severally liable defendants.
Continue Reading D.C. Circuit Holds that False Claims Act Damages Must Be Reduced Dollar-for-Dollar by Other Defendants’ Settlements

Each year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recovers millions of dollars through False Claims Act (FCA) settlements, and 2021 was no exception. Some of the most sizeable or otherwise noteworthy settlements from 2021 were with hospitals and health systems. We’ve summarized a few below.
Continue Reading 2021 Recap: Hospitals’ Significant False Claims Act Settlements