Drayer Physical Therapy Institute, LLC has agreed to pay $7 million to settle allegations that it submitted false claims to Medicare, TRICARE, and Federal Employee Health Benefit Programs. Two former employees brought a whistleblower or qui tam lawsuit against the company under the False Claims Act. The whistleblowers alleged that the company provided services to multiple patients simultaneously, but then billed the government at the much higher rate for services provided by a physical therapist to one patient at a time. The False Claims Act allows individuals to file healthcare fraud lawsuits on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. In this case, the two whistleblowers will share 24% of the settlement payment, or approximately $1.7 million. This reward is based on the amount and quality of evidence the whistleblowers brought to the government, as well as their willingness to help the government during an investigation of their claims. As this case illustrates, whistleblowers are essential to the government’s efforts to crack down on multi-million dollar frauds. Without the help of whistleblowers, it is virtually impossible for the government to uncover this type of fraud. Only insiders know both what type of treatment the patients received and how that treatment was billed to the government. If you have evidence of false claims submitted to Medicare or Medicaid, then you should consult with an experienced whistleblower lawyer immediately. You will help stop fraud and waste in the healthcare system. You may also be entitled to legal protections and a substantial financial reward as a whistleblower. Do not delay. There are strict time limits and procedural requirements to claim a whistleblower reward. Call John Howley, Esq. at (212) 601-2728 today to schedule a free and confidential consultation with an experienced whistleblower lawyer. John Howley, Esq. The Howley Law Firm P.C. 350 Fifth Avenue, 59th Floor New York, New York 10118 (212) 601-2728
0 Comments
The government has arrested more than 300 physicians, clinic owners, and other healthcare professionals for stealing more than $900 million from Medicare.
The defendants are charged with a number of different Medicare fraud schemes including home healthcare fraud and pharmacy fraud. In most cases, the government charges that the defendants billed for services that were not medically necessary or were never actually provided to patients. Some of the defendants are accused of recruiting drug addicts on the streets and in homeless shelters by offering them narcotics in return for their Medicare or Medicaid cards. The defendants allegedly used the Medicare and Medicaid cards to bill for services that were not medically necessary and, in many case, not actually provided. In one case, an individual pharmacist in New York is accused of obtaining more than $51 million by filing fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid claims. Today’s nationwide takedown exceeds a record set last year, when 243 defendants were arrested for defrauding Medicare of more than $700 million. Think about that for a moment. Every year, the government arrests people who steal billions of dollars from the Medicare and Medicaid program. Every year! Medicare and Medicaid fraud is a threat to every hard-working citizen in this country. When billions of dollars are stolen from these programs every year, it puts your future benefits at risk. In fact, the trust fund supporting Medicare is projected to run out of money within the next 10-15 years. If you have evidence of Medicare or Medicaid fraud, you must come forward to help the government put a stop to it. Your efforts will be protected and rewarded. Whistleblowers are entitled to legal protections and financial rewards of up to 30% of the amount recovered by the government. To schedule a free and confidential consultation with an experienced whistleblower lawyer, call John Howley, Esq. at (212) 601-2728. Nurses who once worked for a home healthcare agency will share a $600,000 whistleblower reward for coming forward with evidence of Medicaid fraud by their former employer.
The nurses claimed that their former employer, Deaconess Home Health, Inc., submitted false claims to Medicaid for personal care services. Medicaid generally pays for personal care services to assist patients with daily living activities so they can continue to live at home and not be sent to an assisted living facility or nursing home. The nurses claimed that their former employer recruited patients and personal care workers without regard to whether or not personal care services were medically necessary. The nurses also claimed that their former employer instructed nurses to create false patient assessments to support the Medicaid claims. According to the nurses, their former employer also failed to conduct supervisory visits that are required to ensure that personal care services were actually being provided, that the services were medically necessary, and that the services were appropriate for each patient’s needs. The nurses asserted these claims in a whistleblower or qui tam lawsuit under the False Claims Act. This law allows individuals to start a lawsuit “under seal” (that is, in secret) on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. Once the whistleblower lawsuit is filed, the government must conduct an investigation and decide whether to pursue the lawsuit. If the government recovers money as a result of the whistleblower lawsuit, then the whistleblowers are entitled to a reward of between 15% and 30% of the amount recovered. In this case, the former employer agreed to settle the lawsuit for $3.7 million. The nurses will share in a $600,000.00 whistleblower reward. If you have evidence that a healthcare provider is submitting false claims to Medicare or Medicaid, then you should consult with an experienced whistleblower lawyer immediately to protect your rights. You may be entitled to a financial reward and legal protections as a whistleblower. To schedule a free and confidential consultation, call John Howley, Esq. at (212) 601-2728. Former Employee to Share in $6.5 Million Home Healthcare Fraud Settlement
A licensed practical nurse has earned the right to a whistleblower reward after her former employer, Friendship Healthcare Services, paid $6.5 million to settle claims that it submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. The former employee brought her claims under the False Claims Act. The law allows private citizens to earn whistleblower rewards by providing evidence that helps the government uncover Medicare and Medicaid fraud. The settlement resolves claims that the home healthcare company submitted false claims for private duty nursing services that were provided by employees who were excluded from government healthcare programs or whose nursing license had lapsed. The lawsuit also alleged that the home healthcare company submitted claims without the proper documentation and, in some instances, submitted documentation with forged signatures. "Fraud involving home health services is a major problem," said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. "Patients are particularly vulnerable in a home-based setting because there is often no one looking over the provider's shoulder." The exact amount of the whistleblower's reward has not yet been determined. According to John Howley, a whistleblower lawyer in New York, the False Claims Act provides for rewards of between 15% and 30% of the amount the government recovers. "The whistleblower rewards are a significant incentive," Howley said, "but most whistleblowers are also motivated by a desire to help the government stop Medicare and Medicaid fraud." If you have evidence of false claims submitted to Medicare or Medicaid, then you should consult with an experienced whistleblower lawyer immediately. The law is complicated, and only the first whistleblower to come forward is entitled to a reward. To schedule a free and confidential consultation, call John Howley, Esq. at (212) 601-2728. |