Archive

March 11, 2014

Florida-based hospital system Halifax Hospital Medical Center agreed to pay $85M to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act and Stark Law by executing contracts with six medical oncologists that provided an incentive bonus that improperly included the value of prescription drugs and tests that the oncologists ordered and Halifax billed to Medicare.  The allegations were first raised in a qui tam lawsuit filed by Halifax Hospital employee Elin Baklid-Kunz under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act.  She will receive a whistleblower award of $20.8 million.  DOJ

January 5, 2014

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced that Apple Transportation of New York, Inc. will pay $300,000 to settle claims it overbilled Medicaid for transportation services. As part of a settlement agreement, Apple Transportation admitted that between January 1, 2004 and October 30, 2008, it frequently billed Medicaid for ambulette services even though no personal assistance was provided to Medicaid recipients. As a result, Apple was paid by Medicaid for ambulette services at rates that were higher than the applicable livery rates. NY

August 21, 2013

Richard S. Obedian, orthopedic surgeon, agreed to pay the government $388,000 to settle allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare for minimally invasive spine procedures. DOJ

August 19, 2013

Shands Teaching Hospital & Clinics agreed to pay $26M to settle allegations that six of its health care facilities submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health care programs for inpatient procedures that should have been billed as outpatient services. The allegations were first raised in a qui tam lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. DOJ