A whistleblower who alleged Colchester-based OneCare Vermont was knowingly using unreliable data and a faulty analytics platform has decided to drop litigation against the state's only ACO.
"I want to move on with my life," Robert Hoffman, the former manager of analytics at OneCare, told Becker's.
Mr. Hoffman filed a complaint against the ACO, alleging it defrauded the state and federal government by using faulty data and a platform that was not built to accommodate the claims it used. The data was used to set physician benchmarks and track progress toward those goals, which determined how much ACOs and their physicians are paid. Mr. Hoffman, who worked for the ACO in 2018, alleged he was fired days after bringing these issues to light.
The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to intervene in the case in November. Typically fewer than 1 in 4 False Claims Act cases are taken up by the federal government, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Mr. Hoffman had the option to pursue the case on his own, or file a wrongful termination lawsuit. Though he wants to drop the case, Mr. Hoffman said he hopes the state auditor will look into the issue.
State Auditor Doug Hoffer previously told VTDigger he would investigate allegations if Mr. Hoffman chooses not to move forward. The auditor's office did not respond to Becker's request for comment.
OneCare Vermont also did not respond to a request for comment. The ACO has denied the allegations of fraud.
This story will be updated if more information becomes available.
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