February 6, 2015
Minnesota-based medical device manufacturer Medtronic Inc. agreed to pay $2.8M to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by causing physicians to submit false claims to federal health care programs for investigational medical procedures known as “SubQ stimulations” that were not reimbursable. According to the government, Medtronic improperly promoted the procedure and the use of its spinal cord stimulation devices for the procedure even though its safety and efficacy had not been established by the FDA. The charges were first raised in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by former Medtronic sales representative Jason Nickell. He will receive a whistleblower award of $602,000. DOJ
Tagged in: FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Medical Devices and DME, Off-Label and Unapproved Use, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,