ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER

Prosecuting Healthcare Fraud Under the False Claims Act

Healthcare Fraud and Whistleblowing

Healthcare fraud costs the United States billions of dollars per year. The fraud is perpetrated in myriad ways against a variety of victims but by far the nation’s largest healthcare fraud are false claims against the government for reimbursement under Medicare and Medicaid. The federal government’s False Claims Act (FCA) rewards citizens who help in the effort to recover against the wrongdoers. Citizens who help in these cases are known as whistleblowers or relators and the cases are known as whistleblower or qui tam suits. California has a similar statute for false claims brought against the State. Rewards for whistleblowers and relators under both statutes can run as high as 30% of the government’s recovery in addition to legal fees and costs. We at Evans Law Firm have years of experience with these kinds of cases. The cases are very complex and the rules governing them are very strict. We recommend you consult with counsel before coming forward with your information. If you live in California and have information that may qualify as a qui tam/whistleblower case, call Evans Law Firm, Inc. today at 415-441-8669.

In a recent case, a large healthcare provider allegedly billed the government for medical equipment that the patients were not even using or simply did not need. The provider also allegedly did not collect the appropriate co-pays for its equipment and services, waiving the customer’s charges entirely. The practice allegedly continued for many years and throughout the country. Ultimately, the case settled for $20 million, and the whistleblower stands to collect a large bounty for uncovering the allegedly illegal practices of the provider.

Whistleblower cases under the FCA assist the government in recouping hundreds of millions each year. The Internal Revenue Service has a similar whistleblower program that rewards citizens with evidence of tax avoidance schemes and help the government recover unpaid taxes. The Securities and Exchange Commission has a whistleblower program for assistance with securities law violation and investment fraud cases, and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has a whistleblower program for financial industry regulatory violations, abuse, and fraud. Evans Law Firm has years of experience with all these different types of complex whistleblower/qui tam litigations, involving false claims, offshore tax avoidance schemes, securities fraud, and financial fraud and abuse.

Contact Us

If you or someone you love has information regarding a whistleblower/qui tam case in any California county involving the False Claims Act, Internal Revenue Service Whistleblower Office, Securities and Exchange Commission Whistleblower Program, or the FINRA Whistleblower Office, contact the Evans Law Firm whistleblower attorneys at (415) 441-8669, or by email at info@evanslaw.com. 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 handle cases involving physical and financial elder abuse, qui tam and whistleblower law, nursing home abuse, whole life insurance and universal life insurance, and indexed, variable, and fixed annuities.