Clermont Labs Settle for $2.45M Over False Claims Act Violations 

Last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced a $2.45 million settlement with three Clermont-based laboratories: Vista Clinical Diagnostics, LLC; Access Dermpath, Inc.; and Advanced Clinical Laboratories, Inc. The settlement resolves allegations that the labs submitted manipulated diagnosis codes to Medicare and Medicaid, violating the False Claims Act. 

For nearly 5 years, the labs reportedly used a macro to generate diagnosis codes, which were then put into reimbursement submissions. These codes were not provided by the beneficiaries’ physicians, leading to fraudulent billing practices. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with state authorities from Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia, pursued the settlement to address these violations and ensure accountability. 

U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg stated in the press release, “My office is committed to investigating and federally prosecuting providers who submit false claims and attempt to cheat the system. This case exemplifies our dedication to protecting our nation’s taxpayers from fraud.” 

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein discussed the responsibility of healthcare providers to legally manage taxpayer funds. “Health care providers who receive Medicaid funds must be responsible stewards of taxpayers’ money. When they defraud North Carolinians, we will hold them accountable,” Stein said.  

If you have information about potential Healthcare Fraud or would like to learn more about Whistleblower protections laws, you can speak to an experienced Constantine Cannon whistleblower lawyer team member. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for a free and confidential consultation.