Laboratory and IDTF

April 28, 2017

New Jersey-based Quest Diagnostics Inc. agreed to pay $6 million to resolve charges that Berkeley HeartLab Inc., which Quest acquired in 2011, violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks to physicians and patients to induce the use of Berkeley for blood testing services and by charging for medically unnecessary tests. The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by Dr. Michael Mayes. He will receive a yet-to-be-determined whistleblower award from the proceeds of the government's recovery. DOJ

April 10, 2017

Kentucky based nursing home operator Prestige Healthcare agreed to pay $995,500 to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act with regard to its role in an alleged scheme to falsely bill Medicare for unnecessary genetic testing.  According to the government, Prestige provided genetic testing company Genomix LLC with information on and access to Prestige nursing home patients without ensuring physician orders were obtained for the testing and where Prestige physicians were not aware of and did not agree with the medical necessity of the testing. DOJ (WDWI)

March 6, 2017

New Jersey family doctor Bernard Greenspan was convicted for accepting bribes in exchange for test referrals as part of a long-running scheme operated by Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services LLC. DOJ (DNJ)

February 1, 2017

Florida urologist Dr. Meir Daller agreed to pay $3.81 million to resolve allegations he violated the False Claims Act by causing claims to be submitted to federal health care programs for laboratory tests that were not medically necessary.  Dr. Meir practices as part of Gulfstream Urology, a division of 21st Century Oncology, LLC, which is a nationwide provider of integrated cancer care services.  The government previously entered into settlements relating to similar allegations with 21st Century Oncology for $19.75 million and urologists David Spellberg and Robert Scappa for $1,050,000 and $250,000, respectively.  The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by Mariela Barnes, a former medical assistant for Dr. Spellberg at Naples Urology Associates, also a division of 21st Century Oncology.  She will receive a whistleblower award of $571,500 from the proceeds of the government's recovery in this settlement.  This is in addition to a $3,437,000 million award she already received from the prior settlements.  DOJ (MDFL)

$2.6 Million Whistleblower Settlement With Bay Sleep Clinic

The clinic will settle whistleblower allegations of using unlicensed technicians and unapproved locations and of doctor kickback referrals. Constantine Cannon LLP is pleased to announce a $2.6 million settlement on behalf of its client for whistleblower allegations against Bay Sleep Clinic. The settlement was announced by the United States government on December 28, 2016, against Bay Sleep Clinic, which currently operates 20 locations throughout northern California; its related Qualium Corporation and Amerimed Corporation businesses; and owners and operators Anooshiravan Mostowfipour and Tara Nader. The “qui tam,” or whistleblower, lawsuit alleged that the defendants fraudulently billed Medicare for sleep studies conducted by unlicensed individuals in unapproved locations; improperly dispensed durable medical equipment from unapproved locations using unlicensed technicians; and paid doctors for referrals in violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. The defendants neither admitted nor denied liability. The whistleblower, Elma F. Dresser, is a former Bay Sleep Clinic employee who worked as a sleep technician and marketer for eight years. Through her various roles at the company, Ms. Dresser became familiar with the defendants’ alleged scheme to bilk money from Medicare. She filed her suit in 2012, leading the government to investigate the claims and join the case. Ms. Dresser was represented by Eric R. Havian, partner and attorney, Jessica T. Moore, partner and attorney, Anne Hayes Hartman, partner and attorney, Hallie Noecker, attorney, and Sarah Poppy Alexander, attorney of Constantine Cannon’s whistleblower practice in San Francisco, along with co-counsel from the Law Office of William C. Dresser. “It’s rewarding to see the alleged fraudsters held responsible. Because of the close cooperation and work between the whistleblower and the government, we were able to recover significant funds for the government,” said Anne Hayes Hartman, co-lead counsel on the case. “It is gratifying to represent people like Elma Dresser, who bravely stepped forward with knowledge of her employer’s wrongdoing. Many do not appreciate the risks whistleblowers face to hold alleged wrongdoers accountable.” “Sleep studies are a quickly expanding medical field,” said Jessica T. Moore, who served as co- lead counsel on the case. “Ensuring the safety of these procedures should be a top priority of the government for all patients, Medicare and otherwise.” The federal False Claims Act allows whistleblowers to sue companies that are defrauding the government and receive a reward if the government recovers any funds as a result. The government may choose to intervene in the lawsuit, as it has done in this case. The False Claims Act is one of the government’s most effective weapons in combatting fraud, waste, and abuse by those who contract with the government. Healthcare fraud alone is estimated to cost the U.S. billions of dollars. Such fraud can be difficult to discern without access to inside information; well-placed whistleblowers are necessary to provide the information the government might otherwise lack to help stop these practices.

December 28, 2016

Bay Sleep Clinic, its related businesses -- Qualium Corporation and Amerimed Corporation -- and their owners and operators, Anooshiravan Mostowfipour and Tara Nader, agreed to pay $2.6 million to settle allegations they fraudulently charged Medicare for diagnostic sleep tests and medical devices in violation of Medicare payment rules. The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed by Elma F. Dresser under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. She will receive a whistleblower award of approximately $545,000 from the proceeds of the government's recovery. DOJ (NDCA)

December 13, 2016

Elite Lab Services, LLC, along with its husband-and-wife owners Gerard and Suzanne Dengler, agreed to pay $3.75 million to settle charges of their violating the False Claims Act through their billing Medicare for tens of thousands of miles that were never driven by Elite Lab’s personnel.  The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by former Elite Lab employee Karen Malcolm.  She will receive a whistleblower award of $787,500 from the proceeds of the government's recovery.  DOJ (EDTX)

Bay Sleep Clinic - Healthcare Fraud/Kickbacks ($2.6 million)

Constantine Cannon represented a whistleblower under the False Claims Act case alleging Bay Sleep Clinic billed Medicare for sleep studies by unlicensed technicians and paid kickbacks to doctors for patient referrals.  In December 2016, the company agreed to pay $2.6 million to settle the matter.  Our client received a whistleblower award of roughly 21% of the government’s recovery.  Read more -- SF Gate, DOJ, PR Newswire, CC.