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

Tagged in: Anti-Kickback and Stark, Home Health and Hospice, Lack of Medical Necessity, Multiple Whistleblowers and First-to-File, SNF, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,