Archive

DOJ Catch Of The Week -- Nashville Pharmacy Services

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team This week's Department of Justice "Catch of the Week" goes to Nashville Pharmacy Services, LLC, and its majority owner Kevin Hartman.  On Tuesday, Mr. Hartman and his Nashville-based pharmacy that specializes in dispensing HIV and AIDS-related medications agreed to pay up to $7.8 million to settle charges they overbilled Medicare and TennCare for pharmacy services.  Click here...

Top-10 False Claims Act Kickback Recoveries For 2015

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team Here is our look-back at the top-10 Department of Justice False Claims Act recoveries in 2015 for violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute and/or the Stark Law.      10.  AA ADVANCED CARE -- Felix Gonzalez, owner of Miami home health care company AA Advanced Care, was ordered to pay $21.4 million in restitution (and sentenced to 113 months in prison) for billing Medicare...

Top-10 Prison Sentences For Medicare Fraud In 2015

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team Here is our look-back at the top-10 prison sentences for Medicare fraud in 2015.

10.  SYLVIA WALTER-EZE -- The former owner of medical equipment supply company Ezcor Medical Supply was sentenced to 97 months (and to pay roughly $2 million in restitution) for billing more than $3.5 million to Medicare and Medi-Cal for products not medically necessary and paying illegal...

A Big Friday for Whistleblowers

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team In what might be a first of its kind for whistleblowers and the government, this past Friday there were four significant government fraud recoveries all initiated by whistleblowers. In the midst of what is certainly an ever-expanding parade of whistleblower-prompted fraud settlements by the government, this may be the only time four major settlements were announced in a single...

DOJ Catch of the Week -- Qualitest

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team This week's Department of Justice "Catch of the Week" goes to Qualitest Pharmaceuticals.  On Wednesday, the company's corporate shell, Vintage Pharmaceuticals, its parent Endo Pharmaceuticals, and seven of their affiliates agreed to pay $39 million to settle charges they violated the False Claims Act by selling understrength chewable fluoride tablets.  See DOJ Press...

In Their Own Words — Lampert

-- “It is shocking that a pharmaceutical company would knowingly distribute diluted fluoride meant to provide preventative dental benefits to children as if it were full strength.  We remain committed to investigating companies that put greed over their professional obligations to serve their customers and honestly bill for their products.” 

Scott J. Lampert, HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge, discussing the...

DOJ Catch Of The Week -- Pharmasan Labs

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team This week's Department of Justice "Catch of the Week" goes to Wisconsin-based Pharmasan Labs, Inc. and its related billing company NeuroScience, Inc.  On Tuesday, both companies and their founders, Gottfried and Mieke Kellermann, agreed to pay $8.5 million to resolve charges they violated the False Claims Act by (i) submitting false information for laboratory services, and (ii)...

DOJ Catch of the Week -- Operation Spinal Cap

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team This week's Department of Justice "Catch of the Week" goes to the doctors and other healthcare professionals caught up this week in the government's "Operation Spinal Cap" dragnet.  In a series of related cases the DOJ announced yesterday, the former CFO of Long Beach, California-based Pacific Hospital, two orthopedic surgeons and two others have been charged in long-running...

In Their Own Words — Jones

-- “Injured workers were treated like livestock by doctors and hospitals who paid or accepted kickbacks and bribes in exchange for referrals.”

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones commenting on the recent round of criminal charges in the Justice Department’s ongoing fight against fraud in the spinal surgery industry, code-named “Operation Spinal Cap.”

DOJ Enforcement Spotlight -- Novartis Settles Whistleblower Kickback Case for $390M

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team The Department of Justice continues its recent streak of False Claims Act wins with its $390 million settlement Friday with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. resolving charges the pharmaceutical giant gave kickbacks to specialty pharmacies in return for recommending two of its drugs, Exjade and Myfortic.  Of the $370 million, roughly $287 million will go to the federal government...