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May 25, 2021

Upper Allegheny Health System (UAHS), which operates dental clinics in New York and Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $2.7 million to resolve whistleblower-brought allegations of submitting false claims to Medicaid in violation of the federal and New York False Claims Acts.  Between 2010 and 2015, UAHS had billed Medicaid for dental services performed using improperly sterilized handpieces, which are considered semi-critical devices and need to be properly heat sterilized between patients.  AG NY; USAO WDNY; USAO WDPA

Tagged in: FCA Federal, FCA State, Healthcare Fraud, Medicaid, Medical Devices and DME, Provider Fraud, Whistleblower Case,

May 21, 2021

SavaSeniorCare LLC and related entities (“Sava”) will pay $11.2 million, plus potentially more pursuant to an “ability-to-pay” settlement, to resolve allegations that Sava violated the False Claims Act by causing its skilled nursing facilities to bill Medicare for rehabilitation therapy services that were not reasonable, necessary, or skilled, and that Sava billed the Medicare and Medicaid programs for grossly substandard (i.e., “worthless”) skilled nursing services.  The settlement stems from four separate qui tam complaints filed by whistleblowers Rita Hayward, Trammel Kukoyi, Terrence Scott, James Thornton, and Barbara Roberts, who will share an undisclosed portion of the government’s recovery.  In 2015, the United States intervened in the litigation and filed a consolidated False Claims Act complaint, alleging inter alia that Sava had exerted significant pressure on its skilled nursing facilities to meet unrealistic corporate targets for the highest Medicare reimbursement rates without regard to patients’ actual clinical needs, and improperly delayed the discharge of patients from its facilities in order to increase billings.  Sava will enter into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement as part of the settlement.  DOJ

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Improper Medical Personnel, Lack of Medical Necessity, Medicaid, Medicare, SNF, Upcoding, Whistleblower Case,

May 19, 2021

Latisha Harron of North Carolina has been sentenced to over 14 years in prison and ordered to pay over $13 million in restitution after pleading guilty to charges of defrauding the North Carolina Medicaid Program, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering.  Together with husband Timothy Harron, the defendant scoured obituaries for recently deceased Medicaid recipients and billed Medicaid for up to a year of home health services that were allegedly provided to the deceased by her company, Agape Healthcare Services, Inc.  By concealing the fact that both Harrons were previously convicted felons, the defendant was able to obtain millions in reimbursements, which she then laundered into expenses such as business properties, a private jet, clothing and jewelry, and gym equipment.  NC AG; Subsequent proceeding

Tagged in: Criminal Proceedings, FCA State, Healthcare Fraud, Home Health and Hospice, Medicaid,

May 14, 2021

Texas dentists Gunjan Dhir and Gaurav Puri and their affiliated management companies and practice groups will pay $3.1 million to resolve allegations that they fraudulently charged the Texas Medicaid program for pediatric dental services.  The investigation was initiated by the filing of a qui tam complaint by whistleblowers Sandy Puga, Nelda Torres-Brown, and Sonia Cardoso, who were former employees of defendants and will receive an undisclosed share the settlement.  Defendants allegedly billed for services that were not actually provided and/or misreported the provider of services by using erroneous Medicaid provider numbers.  USAO ND Texas

Tagged in: FCA Federal, FCA State, Healthcare Fraud, Medicaid, Medical Billing Fraud, Provider Fraud, Whistleblower Case,

May 10, 2021

Iowa skilled nursing facility Dubuque Specialty Care, owned by Care Initiatives, will pay $214,200 to resolve claims that they received federal Medicaid funds during a COVID-19 outbreak at the facility while failing to adhere to requirements for infection control, including procedures for screening symptomatic employees for COVID-19.  USAO ND Iowa

Tagged in: COVID-19, Healthcare Fraud, Medicaid, SNF,

May 5, 2021

Neurosurgical Associates, LTD and Dignity Health, d/b/a St. Joseph’s Hospital, have agreed to a $10 million settlement and five-year corporate integrity agreement to resolve allegations of violating the federal False Claims Act.  According to whistleblower Dr. Bruce P. Kingsley, Neurological Associates and St. Joseph’s Hospital improperly billed Medicare for certain doubly and triply concurrent and overlapping surgeries.  USAO AZ

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Medical Billing Fraud, Medicare, Provider Fraud, Whistleblower Case,

May 4, 2021

Alberto Orian Gonzalez-Delgado was sentenced to 210 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud.  He is the last of eight individuals to be sentenced for a money laundering scheme in Florida and Michigan involving the use of nominee owners to fraudulently purchase home health agencies and then bill Medicare for services that were never provided to Medicare beneficiaries.  The defendants caused the payment of approximately $53 million in fraudulent claims.  DOJ

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Home Health and Hospice, Medicare, Money Laundering,

May 4, 2021

Delaware-based pharmaceutical company Incyte Corporation has agreed to pay $12.6 million to resolve allegations of violating the Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act in connection with its myelofibrosis drug, Jafaki.  Despite federal laws against illegal remuneration to federal healthcare program beneficiaries, Incyte allegedly wielded its influence as the sole donor of a foundation to coerce the foundation into illegally covering the copays of Medicare and TRICARE patients taking Jafaki.  The misconduct continued from 2011 through 2014 before it was revealed in a qui tam suit by former compliance executive turned whistleblower, Justin Dillon.  Dillon will receive approximately $3.59 million for his efforts.  DOJ; USAO EDPA

Tagged in: Anti-Kickback and Stark, FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Medicare, Other Government Health Programs, Pharma Fraud, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,

May 4, 2021

After being convicted of running a $11 million healthcare fraud scheme, Brenda Rodriguez, the owner and operator of Texas-based QC Medical Clinic, has been ordered to spend 25 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.  As shown by evidence presented at trial, Rodriguez’s scheme involved paying doctors to approve Medicare beneficiaries for home health services, selling the approvals to various home health providers, and causing the providers to bill Medicare for services that were medically unnecessary, never provided, and/or arose from illegal inducements.  USAO SDTX

Tagged in: Anti-Kickback and Stark, FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Home Health and Hospice, Lack of Medical Necessity, Medicare,

April 29, 2021

Over two dozen defendants who were part of an extensive prescription drug fraud scheme involving Alabama-based Northside Pharmacy d/b/a Global Compounding Pharmacy have been sentenced to prison.  The defendants included company executives and managers, prescribers, billers, and sales representatives who, between 2013 and 2016, billed insurers such as Medicare and TRICARE for massive quantities of medically unnecessary prescription drugs.  In just that short period of time, the defendants caused insurers to pay nearly $50 million in medically unnecessary claims, with more than $13 million arising from improper payments to prescribers, and more than $8.4 million for prescriptions written out to Global employees themselves.  USAO NDAL

Tagged in: Anti-Kickback and Stark, Compounding Pharmacy Fraud, FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Lack of Medical Necessity, Medicare, Other Government Health Programs,

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