October 18, 2022

Carter Healthcare LLC, affiliates CHC Holdings and Carter-Florida, president Stanley Carter, and Chief Operations Officer Bradley Carter have agreed to pay $23 million and $7.2 million to settle two whistleblower cases alleging violations of the False Claims Act.  The first case, filed in the Western District of Oklahoma, alleged that the Oklahoma-based home health company paid illegal kickbacks to physicians under the guise of medical directorships in order to induce referrals.  The second case, filed in the Southern District of Florida by former therapists Sharon Mahaffey and Mark Brimer, alleged that Carter Healthcare billed Medicare for medically unnecessary therapy and upcoded patient diagnoses for higher reimbursements.  As part of the settlements, defendants Stanley and Bradley Carter have agreed to be excluded from participating in government healthcare programs for 5 years, and whistleblowers Mahaffey and Brimer will split a $1.3 million relator’s share.  USAO WDOK; USAO SDFL

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Medicare, Other Government Health Programs, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,