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The DOJ recently reported that it obtained more than $5.6 billion in FCA settlements and judgments last year, the second most ever in a year. Over $1.6 billion of this amount stemmed from lawsuits filed by whistleblowers. In total, whistleblowers filed 598 qui tam suits in 2021, and the government paid out over $237 million to whistleblowers.

If the past year is any indication, companies and practitioners involved in medical testing are facing increasing scrutiny under the False Claims Act. We believe that recent trends show just how vital whistleblowers will be to addressing medical testing fraud in the near future.

Private equity firms are facing increasing scrutiny under the False Claims Act (FCA). Recently, the Massachusetts Attorney General announced the largest reported healthcare fraud settlement against a private equity firm, amounting to $25 million. The case was brought under the qui tam provisions of Massachusetts’s FCA. Earlier this year, the DOJ reported a $15.3 million

Recent trends in False Claims Act litigation show high rates of settlement, increases in damage awards, and a high prevalence of health care defendants. At Price Armstrong, we think these trends indicate a future push to hold health care fraudsters accountable through whistleblower False Claims actions.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently awarded its first-ever whistleblower award to a former Hyundai safety engineer who brought allegations of faulty engine designs against Hyundai and Kia. Kim Gwang-ho, the whistleblower, received $24.3 million for reporting the defective engines.

The False Claims Amendment Act of 1986 recently celebrated its 35th anniversary. This monumental law helped revitalized the Civil War-era False Claims Act to help better prevent fraud through the use of private whistleblowers.

The DOJ’s recently announced Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative seeks to revitalize the False Claims Act and empower whistleblowers to eliminate new and emerging forms of cyber-fraud.

A recent Huntsville jury verdict is sending a clear message to defense contractors across the nation: fraudulent defense contracts with the U.S. are likely to result in harsh consequences. On September 24, 2021, a federal court jury found a defense contractor liable for fraudulently inducing the U.S. Army into military contracts with Saudi Arabia, El

Not only has the use of telemedicine risen to unprecedented levels during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) decided to relax Medicare coverage rules regarding telemedicine last year. As a result, telemedicine represents a relatively uncharted frontier in the health care industry, offering hopes of increased access and care

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries using telemedicine skyrocketed by 13,000%, according to CMS administrator Seema Verma. In fact, during a single three-month span in 2020, over 9 million Medicare FFS beneficiaries utilized some form of telehealth services. While the opportunity for increased medical access afforded by telemedicine is great,