Summary of article from Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto LLP, by Geoff Schweller:
In May, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices announced several substantial settlements under the False Claims Act (FCA), resolving qui tam whistleblower lawsuits related to healthcare fraud. The settlements involved cases of kickbacks, billing for unnecessary treatments, and non-compliance with Medicare rules. Prominent cases included a $27 million settlement with Daniel Hurt for alleged Medicare fraud, a $24.3 million settlement with Cape Cod Hospital for non-compliance with Medicare rules, and a $12 million settlement with Innovasis Inc. for alleged kickbacks to surgeons. Other notable settlements involved RiverSpring and Elara Caring, which settled for $10.1 million and $4.2 million respectively. These settlements underscore the importance of whistleblowers in combating healthcare fraud, and highlight the significant financial burden and potential harm caused by fraudulent practices.