October 13, 2017
First Coast Cardiovascular Institute, P.A. agreed to pay roughly $450,000 to settle charges of violating the False Claims Act by knowingly delaying repayment of more than $175,000 in overpayments owed to Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Specifically, the government alleged the company accrued credit balances or overpayments owed to federal health care programs and despite repeated warning failed to pay back the money it owed. The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the
qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by
former First Coast employee Douglas Malie. He will receive a
whistleblower award of $90,000 from the proceeds of the government's recovery.
DOJ (MDFL)