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Physician Law Blog

We provide insights and analysis for physicians, nurses, chiropractors, dentists, physical therapists and other health professionals on issues impacting their practices.

Physician Law Blog
June 28, 2015

Learning the Hard Way – Omnicare to Pay $124M False Claims Settlement

False Claims Act (FCA) allegations are serious business. Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid and other federally funded programs. Omnicare learned the hard way just how serious FCA actions can be when a whistleblower made allegations against it.

Physician Law Blog
May 5, 2014

Affordable Care Act Update

The Department of Labor issued new FAQs about the Affordable Care Act, including updated model COBRA notices. Please see the following link: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-aca19.html.

Physician Law Blog
April 24, 2014

Another False Claims Act Settlement for HEAT - Amedisys Inc. agrees to pay $150M

The Department of Justice announced a False Claims Act settlement where Amedisys agreed to pay $150 million and will be bound by a Corporate Integrity Agreement as a result of alleged improper financial relationships and false billing. The settlement resolves seven qui tam (whistleblower) lawsuits brought primarily from former Amedisys employees. The whistleblowers will collectively split over $26 million from the settlement. Among the claims alleged were that Amedisys billed Medicare for services to ineligible patients by misrepresenting patients’ conditions to increase its Medicare billings as well as maintaining improper relationships with referring physicians. This settlement is an achievement for HEAT, the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team initiative announced in 2009, which continues to combat health care fraud having recovered more than $19.2 billion through False Claims Act cases, with more than $13.6 billion recovered in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.