Alere to Pay $33.2 Million to Settle FCA Allegations Relating to Unreliable Diagnostic Testing Devices
Posted 03/23/18
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
Massachusetts-based medical device manufacturer Alere Inc. and its subsidiary Alere San Diego have agreed to pay the United States $33.2 million to resolve allegations that Alere caused hospitals to submit false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal healthcare programs by knowingly selling materially unreliable point-of-care diagnostic testing devices, the Justice...
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
The Justice Department announced that Abiomed, Inc. agreed to pay $3.1 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by purchasing extravagant meals for physicians to induce them to use Abiomed’s Impella line of heart pumps.
“We expect today’s settlement with Abiomed to serve as a warning to medical device manufacturers who try to improperly influence the...
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
Yesterday, the Department of Justice announced a $7.62 million settlement with California-based DJO Global Inc. to resolve allegations that a DJO subsidiary falsely billed TRICARE for excessive and unnecessary supplies. The government alleged that the DJO subsidiary used an improper “assumptive selling” technique to induce TRICARE beneficiaries to order supplies that they did...
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
Yesterday, the Department of Justice announced that as Pacific Pulmonary Services will pay $11.4 million to settle a False Claims lawsuit. At issue in the case were allegedly false claims to Medicare and other federal healthcare programs for oxygen and related equipment supplied in violation of program rules, as well as claims for sleep therapy equipment tainted by a kickback...
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
This week's Department of Justice "Catch of the Week" goes to medical equipment supply companies U.S. Healthcare Supply LLC and Oxford Diabetic Supply Inc. On Wednesday, the two companies, along with their owners and presidents, agreed to pay more than $12.2 million to resolve allegations that they violated the 
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
This week's Department of Justice "Catch of the Week" goes to Olympus Corp. of America, the country's largest distributor of endoscopes and related equipment. On Tuesday, the company agreed to pay $623.2 million to resolve criminal charges and civil claims for the company's violations of the 
Can one commit fraud while sleeping? Sort of.
Increasing numbers of troubled sleepers are seeking diagnosis and treatment of chronic sleep disorders that affect more than fifty million Americans. The significant growth in sleep medicine over recent years brings increasing opportunities for the unscrupulous to engage in fraudulent services and billing
The most common method of diagnosing sleep disorders is a...
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
This week's Department of Justice "catch of the week" goes to Orbit Medical Inc. and its partial successor, Rehab Medical Inc. On Wednesday, these durable medical equipment suppliers agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle False Claims Act charges that Orbit submitted false claims to federal health care programs for power wheelchairs and accessories. See 
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
This week's Department of Justice "catch of the week" goes to medical device maker Medtronic plc and affiliated Medtronic companies, Medtronic Inc., Medtronic USA Inc., and Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA Inc. Yesterday, the companies agreed to pay $4.4 million to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act by making false statements to the Department of Veterans...