The following is a roundup of recent lawsuits and settlements involving cases filed under the qui tam, or whistle-blower, provisions of the False Claims Act, beginning with the most recent.
1. CHS settles false claims allegations for $75M
Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems agreed to pay the federal government $75 million to settle a whistle-blower lawsuit alleging CHS violated the False Claims Act by providing funds to county governments that were used to fund Medicaid payments to hospitals.
2. HCA hospital hit with whistle-blower lawsuit alleging fraud
Northside Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., part of Tampa, Fla.-based HCA West Florida, is facing a lawsuit alleging the hospital submitted false claims to Medicare and Medicaid. The lawsuit was originally filed under the whistle-blower provisions of the False Claims Act by Brenda Farnsworth, the hospital's vice president of quality and risk management, who was placed on administrative leave in February 2012 for alleged insubordination.
3. Cleveland Clinic accused of Medicare fraud in False Claims Act lawsuit
Cleveland Clinic was hit with a federal False Claims Act lawsuit alleging the system performs unnecessary medical tests and procedures on patients. The lawsuit was originally filed under the whistle-blower provisions of the False Claims Act by Sam Ghoubrial, MD, an internal medicine physician who said he witnessed many of Cleveland Clinic's alleged improper practices.
4. 'Wolf of Wall Street'-linked medical device firm raided by FBI
Boca Raton, Fla.-based Med-Care Diabetic & Medical Supplies, which employs Daniel M. Porush, who inspired the character Donnie Azoff in the movie "The Wolf of Wall Street," was raided by the FBI for suspected Medicare fraud. Med-Care is facing a whistle-blower lawsuit filed by a former telemarketer who worked with the medical device firm.
5. New Jersey pharmaceutical company settles kickback lawsuit for $39M
Daiichi Sankyo, a global pharmaceutical company with its U.S. headquarters in Parsippany, N.J., agreed to pay $39 million to the federal government and state Medicaid programs to settle allegations it paid kickbacks to physicians to prescribe its drugs. The lawsuit was originally filed under the whistle-blower provisions of the False Claims Act by a former Daiichi sales representative.
6. Medical College of Wisconsin pays $840k to settle FCA allegations
Milwaukee-based Medical College of Wisconsin agreed to pay the federal government $840,000 to settle a whistle-blower lawsuit alleging it violated the False Claims Act by improperly billing federal healthcare programs for procedures involving residents that did not receive proper supervision.
7. One of the nation's highest billing physicians faces False Claims suit: 5 things to know
The federal government intervened in two False Claims Act lawsuits against Asad Qamar, MD, a Florida cardiologist, and his physician group. Both of the lawsuits were filed under the whistle-blower provisions of the False Claims Act.
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