Following a whistleblower complaint filed by Andrew Hersh in 2020, a Florida businessman, Patrick Walsh, and 10 companies he owned or operated entered into a civil settlement for over $20 million to resolve False Claims Act...more
Welcome to the Winter 2025 issue of “FCA Enforcement & Compliance Digest,” our quarterly newsletter in which we compile essential updates on False Claims Act (FCA) enforcement trends, litigation, agency guidance, and...more
Jury Clears SuperValu of Liability in Whistleblower FCA Prescription Pricing Case -
A federal jury in Illinois recently found SuperValu not liable in a whistleblower lawsuit that accused the company of overcharging the...more
3/10/2025
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Kickbacks ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Fraud ,
Prescription Drugs ,
SCOTUS ,
Settlement ,
Whistleblowers
Home Health Care Company to Pay $3 Million to Resolve FCA Allegations -
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Saad Enterprises Incorporated, operating as Saad Healthcare, agreed to pay $3 million to resolve...more
3/3/2025
/ Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Home Health Care ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Settlement ,
Skilled Nursing Facility ,
Whistleblowers
Ninth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of FCA Suit -
On Tuesday, the Ninth Circuit reversed the district court’s grant of Express Scripts’ motion to dismiss a whistleblower’s lawsuit accusing Express Scripts of defrauding the US...more
2/10/2025
/ Appeals ,
Ciminelli v US ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Dismissals ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Litigation Strategies ,
SCOTUS ,
Stays ,
Whistleblowers
Pfizer Settles Its Subsidiary’s Kickback Allegations for Nearly $60 Million -
Pfizer Inc. agreed to pay over $59,746,277 to resolve allegations that its wholly owned subsidiary, Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company...more
2/3/2025
/ Acquisitions ,
Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Medicare Part D ,
Mergers ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Purdue Pharma ,
Sentencing ,
Settlement ,
Whistleblowers
Massachusetts District Court Judge Applies Heightened Causation Standard in FCA Case -
On January 6, a District Court of Massachusetts judge granted summary judgment for defendants on allegations of violating the...more
1/27/2025
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Causation ,
Compliance ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Kickbacks ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Advantage ,
Opioid ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Qui Tam ,
SCOTUS ,
Settlement ,
Skilled Nursing Facility ,
Whistleblowers
DOJ Reports Nearly $3 Billion in FCA Settlements, Judgments for FY 2024 -
On January 15, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) reported that settlements and judgments under the False Claims Act (FCA) totaled more than $2.9...more
1/20/2025
/ Criminal Prosecution ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Investment Fraud ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Advantage ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacies ,
Settlement ,
Whistleblowers ,
Wire Fraud
Federal Government Urges Court of Appeals to Uphold Constitutionality of FCA Qui Tam Provisions -
In a brief filed earlier this week, the US federal government has urged the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the...more
1/13/2025
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Appeals ,
Appointments Clause ,
Article III ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Medicare ,
Misrepresentation ,
National Institute of Health (NIH) ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Qui Tam ,
SCOTUS ,
Settlement ,
Stark Law ,
Unconstitutional Condition ,
Whistleblowers
Welcome to the Fall 2024 issue of “FCA Enforcement & Compliance Digest,” our quarterly newsletter in which we compile essential updates on False Claims Act (FCA) enforcement trends, litigation, agency guidance, and compliance...more
12/10/2024
/ Advisory Opinions ,
Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Compliance ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Health Care Programs (FHCP) ,
Florida ,
Fraud ,
Health Technology ,
Healthcare ,
Manufacturers ,
Medicare Part D ,
OIG ,
Qui Tam ,
Risk Assessment ,
Settlement ,
Whistleblowers ,
White Collar Crimes
US Supreme Court Declines to Consider AKS ‘Willfulness’ Question -
On October 7, the US Supreme Court denied a petition in which a whistleblower asked the Court to decide whether a “willful” act under the federal...more
10/14/2024
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Bribery ,
Criminal Conspiracy ,
Denial of Certiorari ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Home Health Care ,
Kickbacks ,
Medicaid ,
Money Laundering ,
Popular ,
Scienter ,
SCOTUS ,
Telehealth ,
Whistleblowers
Former Congressman George Santos Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft -
On August 19, former US Representative George Santos pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. As part of the...more
8/26/2024
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Bribery ,
Cash Transactions ,
Corruption ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Embezzlement ,
Evasion ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
False Documentation ,
False Statements ,
FBI ,
Federal Election Commission (FEC) ,
Fraud ,
Identity Theft ,
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) ,
Investors ,
Kickbacks ,
Plea Agreements ,
Unemployment Benefits ,
Venezuela ,
Whistleblowers ,
Wire Fraud
DOJ Launches Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program -
On August 1, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the details of its new Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program. According to the DOJ, the...more
8/12/2024
/ Bribery ,
Controlled Substances Act ,
DEA ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Durable Medical Equipment ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
FinCEN ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Internal Reporting ,
Kickbacks ,
Opioid ,
Pilot Programs ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Whistleblower Awards ,
Whistleblowers ,
Wire Fraud
Precision Lens Pays $12 Million to Resolve FCA and AKS Violations -
Late last week, Precision Lens and the estate of its former principal agreed to pay $12 million to resolve allegations regarding violations of the False...more
8/5/2024
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare ,
Insurance Fraud ,
Kickbacks ,
Medicare ,
Reimbursements ,
Settlement ,
Stark Law ,
Telemarketing ,
Whistleblowers
Federal Court Dismisses $680 Million FCA Suit -
On July 23, a Maryland federal judge, Ellen L. Hollander, dismissed a $680 million False Claims Act (FCA) suit that was previously revived by the US Supreme Court. The suit...more
On June 7, Adam Hart, a former employee of McKesson Corporation, filed a petition for certiorari to the US Supreme Court asking the Court to define the “willfulness” element of the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS). United States...more
Florida Lab Owner Agrees to Pay Over $27 Million to Resolve Three Whistleblower Lawsuits -
Daniel Hurt, the prior owner and operator of Fountain Health Services LLC, Verify Health, Landmark Diagnostics LLC, First Choice...more
6/3/2024
/ Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Insurance Fraud ,
Kickbacks ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
OIG ,
Qui Tam ,
Reimbursements ,
Settlement ,
Stark Law ,
Whistleblowers
DOJ Secures Plea in $50 Million Medicare Fraud and Kickback Scheme -
On April 26, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Manishkumar Patel pleaded guilty to charges related to a $50 million health care fraud and...more
5/6/2024
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Guilty Pleas ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
HRSA ,
Kickbacks ,
Medicare Fraud ,
Money Laundering ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Retaliation ,
Telemarketing ,
Whistleblowers ,
Wire Fraud
On March 12, the Second Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part a district court dismissal of False Claims Act (FCA) claims predicated on alleged Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) violations. Adam Hart brought the claims...more
Clinical Laboratory and CEO To Pay Over $13 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations -
A New Jersey-based laboratory, RDx Bioscience Inc. (RDX), and its owner and CEO, Eric Leykin, agreed to pay $10,315,023 to the US...more
1/15/2024
/ CEOs ,
Clinical Laboratories ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
FBI ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Kickbacks ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Reimbursements ,
Settlement ,
Whistleblowers
Engineering Company Agrees to Pay $4.4 Million to Settle FCA -
On Friday, September 15, 2023, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a settlement agreement with Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation, a...more
9/25/2023
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Health Care Programs (FHCP) ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Identity Theft ,
Kickbacks ,
Settlement ,
U.S. Navy ,
Whistleblowers
New FCA Filings Point to Future Path Forward For Companies -
The US Supreme Court recently ruled in United States ex rel. Proctor v. Safeway Inc. and United States ex rel. Schutte, et al. v. SuperValu Inc. et al. that...more
Supreme Court Justices Signal Skepticism of Qui Tam Constitutionality -
On Friday, June 16, the US Supreme Court ruled that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has the authority to dismiss qui tam suits brought under the...more
On June 16, 2023, in United States, ex rel. Polansky v. Executive Health Resources, Inc., the US Supreme Court addressed the government’s authority to dismiss a qui tam False Claims Act (FCA) suit over a relator’s objection...more
6/22/2023
/ Article II ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Corporate Misconduct ,
Dismissals ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare ,
Inpatient Billing ,
Investigations ,
Qui Tam ,
Relators ,
SCOTUS ,
United States ex rel Polansky v Executive Health Resources Inc ,
Whistleblowers
The US Supreme Court brushed aside novel assertions from two pharmacy retailers on June 1 and ruled unanimously that False Claims Act liability hinges on whether defendants subjectively believed their claims were “false.” In...more
6/8/2023
/ Appeals ,
Drug Pricing ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Healthcare ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Pharmacies ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Reimbursements ,
Safeco Insurance Co of America v Burr ,
SCOTUS ,
US ex rel Thomas Proctor v Safeway Inc ,
US ex rel Tracy Schutte et al v SuperValu Inc et al ,
Whistleblowers