Whistleblower Case

August 28, 2017

Mary Inman appeared as a special guest on RAC Monitor’s “Monitor Monday” radio broadcast “Pharma on Pharma:  Sanofi-Aventis Blows the Whistle on Mylan $465 Million False Claims Settlement.”  Mary’s remarks begin at 22:11 minutes into the program.

July 24, 2017

Dr. James Norman, the owner and operator of Norman Parathyroid Center, agreed to pay $4 million to resolve allegations he violated the False Claims Act by billing Medicare for pre-operative examination services for which he had already received payment from the government.  These extra fees ranged from $150 to $750 for Florida residents, to $1,750 or more for patients who lived out-of-state, adding up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit billing.  The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by a former patient of Dr. Norman, Myra Gross, and her husband, Dr. David Gross.  They will receive a whistleblower award of roughly $600,000 from the proceeds of the government's recovery.  DOJ (MDFL)

July 17, 2017

Ohio-based nursing home operators Foundations Health Solutions Inc., Olympia Therapy Inc. and Tridia Hospice Care Inc., and their executives Brian Colleran and Daniel Parker, agreed to pay roughly $19.5 million to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act by submitting to Medicare claims for medically unnecessary rehabilitation therapy services and for hospice services to patients not eligible for the Medicare benefit, and by soliciting and receiving kickbacks to refer patients from their skilled nursing facilities to home health care provider Amber Home Care LLC.  The allegations originated in two whistleblower lawsuits filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by former Olympia employee Vladimir Trakhter and former Tridia employees Paula Bourne and La’Tasha Goodwin.  Mr. Trahkter will receive a whistleblower award of roughly $2.9 million and Ms. Bourne and Ms. Goodwin collectively will receive an award of roughly $740,000, all from the proceeds of the government’s recovery.  Whistleblower Insider

July 14, 2017

Narco Freedom, Inc., a former operator of outpatient chemical dependency clinics, Joining Hands Management Inc., an operator of short-term residences known as “three-quarter houses,” and Joining Hands co-owner Devorah Haigler, settled claims of violating the False Claims Act.  The government will receive a $50.5 million allowed claim in the Narco Freedom bankruptcy proceeding, and Joining Hands and Haigler will pay $300,000.  The government alleged the defendants engaged in a kickback scheme whereby Narco made monthly cash payments to Joining Hands in exchange for Haigler and others referring residents of Joining Hands three-quarter houses to NARCO outpatient programs.  The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act.  An unidentified whistleblower will receive an undisclosed whistleblower award from the proceeds of the government's recovery.  DOJ (SDNY)

July 7, 2017

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. agreed to pay $1.65 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by submitting pharmacy claims to California’s Medi‑Cal program not supported by applicable diagnosis and documentation requirements.  The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by a Wal-Mart pharmacist.  The whistleblower will receive a whistleblower award of roughly $264,000 from the proceeds of the government's recovery.  DOJ (EDCA)

July 6, 2017

New Jersey-based Compassionate Care Hospice Group, Inc. agreed to pay $2.4 million to resolve charges that the company and its subsidiary Compassionate Care Hospice of Atlanta violated the False Claims Act and Stark Law by engaging in improper financial relationships with contracted physicians to induce them to refer patients.  The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by former CCH Atlanta employees Cathy Morris and Josie King.  They will receive a yet-to-be-determined whistleblower award from the proceeds of the government's recovery.  DOJ (NDGA)

July 6, 2017

Matthew Kolodesh, Alex Pugman, Svetlana Ganetsky, and Malvina Yakobashvili agreed to pay millions of dollars to settle False Claims Act allegations that they and their now-defunct company Home Care Hospice, Inc. falsely billed for hospice services that were either unnecessary or never provided.  The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by former HCH employees Maureen Fox and Cathy Gonzales.  They will receive a yet-to-be-determined whistleblower award from the proceeds of the government's recovery.  DOJ (EDPA)