ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Government Rewards Blowing The Whistle On Healthcare Fraud
Whistleblower Cases Under The False Claims Act
Former Employees Bring Alleged Fraud To Light
Under the False Claims Act (FCA),31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 et seq., the federal government rewards whistleblowers who present credible information of false claims for reimbursements under Medicare and Medicaid. The California whistleblower attorneys at Evans Law Firm, Inc. represent whistleblowers/relators in FCA cases against healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, government contractors, product manufacturers, research institutions, and others who may commit fraud against the government by overcharging, billing for unnecessary services, illegal referrals, false diagnoses, kickbacks, and/or falsifying data. If you have credible information for a false claims whistleblower case or any other whistleblower case in California, call us today at (415)441-8669 and we can help.
In a recent announcement by the Department of Justice (DOJ) , the government settled an FCA whistleblower case* against a nursing home chain brought by three former employees. The suit alleged the nursing home chain charged the government for “Ultra High” rehabilitation for patients who did not need it. According to the complaint these “Ultra High” rehab services were the most expensive therapy treatments reimbursable by Medicare and the nursing home pressured therapists to perform these services on patients even though unnecessary. That way, according to the complaint, the nursing home could charge the government more. The complaint also alleged that therapists were told to exaggerate their time records for these services. Three former therapists initiated the whistleblower suit and will share a $1,750,000 reward as part of a $10 million settlement.
Protection for Whistleblowers
Former employees such as those in the reported case may have credible information of false claims against the government. Federal law protects insiders/employees against retaliation from employers for blowing the whistle on fraud. If you are fired because you brought any fraud to light, you can fight back. You may be entitled to sue your employer in federal court and seek double back pay (with interest), reinstatement, reasonable attorneys’ fees, and reimbursement for certain costs in connection with the litigation. Our California whistleblower attorneys can represent you in any action for retaliation as well as represent you in your underlying whistleblower application.
Contact Us
Our whistleblower attorneys handle all types of whistleblower cases in addition to false claims cases, including cases for bank fraud under FIRREA/FIAFEA, commodity trading and securities fraud under the Commodities Futures Trading Commission Whistleblower Program and the Securities and Exchange Commission Whistleblower Program, and tax fraud under the Internal Revenue Service Whistleblower Program. If you or a loved one has information regarding false claims, offshore tax avoidance schemes against the IRS, or securities and commodity trading fraud in violation of SEC and CFTC regulations, contact Ingrid M. Evans and the other California whistleblower and false claims attorneys at Evans Law Firm at (415) 441-8669, or by email at <a href=”mailto:info@evanslaw.com”>info@evanslaw.com</a>. Our attorneys have experience with complex financial contracts and large insurance companies. We can help guide your case through a jury trial or toward an equitable settlement. We also handle cases involving physical and financial elder abuse, nursing home abuse, whole life insurance and universal life insurance, and indexed, variable, and fixed annuities.
*Evans Law Firm, Inc. was not involved in the case in any way.
