The FCA Insider

The FCA Insider

Insights and updates on False Claims Act Litigation

Category Archives: DOJ

Subscribe to DOJ RSS Feed
DOJ

California Doctor Pleads Guilty to EKRA Violations

On September 15, 2020, Doctor Akikur R. Mohammad, a California resident and drug treatment facility owner, pled guilty before the U.S. District Court of New Jersey for violating the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act (“EKRA”), one of the country’s first convictions under this statute targeting opioid kickbacks. Enforcement under EKRA can help shed light on… Continue Reading
DOJ

DOJ Puts Collection of Civil Penalties on Hold in Response to COVID-19

In a pair of recent memoranda from the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (“EOUSA”) issued on March 31, 2020, and April 13, 2020, the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) has effectively halted enforcement actions and the collection of civil penalties.  Included in this temporary suspension is the collection of civil penalties incurred in… Continue Reading
DOJ, Regulatory

Federal Authorities Crack Down on Fraudulent COVID-19 Schemes

As the public faces the crisis related to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), federal authorities announced initial actions against individuals and companies promoting fraudulent schemes and products to the public. Federal agencies suggest concerns that individuals and companies are targeting vulnerable consumers and seeking to profit from the confusion and widespread fear during the pandemic.… Continue Reading
DOJ

New DOJ Task Force to Target Substandard Nursing Home Care

In a March 3, 2020, speech by Attorney General Bill Barr, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a new nursing home enforcement initiative targeting “grossly-substandard” care of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in nursing homes nationwide. The DOJ, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will also seek to enhance enforcement of civil and… Continue Reading
DOJ, Settlements

DOJ announces $5.5 Million Settlement Concerning Allegations of Undisclosed Grants

On December 19, 2019, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) has agreed to pay $5.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting grant applications to the National Institute of Health (NIH) without disclosing Chinese government grants for involved researchers. VARI is an independent… Continue Reading
DOJ

DOJ Releases FY 2019 False Claims Act Statistics with Numbers that Highlight the Focus on the Healthcare Industry

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Public Affairs recently released a report detailing the settlements and judgments from civil cases involving fraud and abuse claims obtained in fiscal year 2019.  In total, the DOJ reports that it obtained more than $3 billion during FY 2019, the substantial majority of which ($2.6 billion) involved… Continue Reading
DOJ, Individual Liability, Settlements

DOJ Settlement Resolves Allegations of Individual Liability

On October 4, 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced a settlement in which the Retina Institute of California Medical Group, its former CEO, and several of its physicians paid the United States and California approximately $6.65 Million to settle False Claims Act allegations.  The settlement related to accusations of… Continue Reading
DOJ

DOJ Offers Further Guidance on False Claims Act Prosecutions

At a conference earlier this year, Deputy Associate General Stephen Cox offered further guidance on a number of topics central to the DOJ’s enforcement attitude in FCA actions over the past several years. Cox’s comments help provide further clarity and color to several recent memorandums authored by the DOJ and provide guidance on the DOJ’s… Continue Reading
Defense Arguments, DOJ

DOJ Memorandum Sets Out FCA Dismissal Factors

A January 10 internal memorandum from the director of the fraud section of the DOJ’s civil division commercial litigation branch, which has recently become public, sets out the factors the government should consider in dismissing False Claims Act (FCA) cases in which it has declined to intervene, and may suggest a greater possibility that the… Continue Reading
DOJ, Individual Liability

Holding Executives Personally Responsible: An Increasing Government Priority

Earlier this month, we covered the Spectocor action which involved an executive and his company’s agreement to pay $10.56M of a $13.45M total settlement to resolve allegations involving medically unnecessary Medicare reimbursements. In another stark reminder that the Department of Justice has increased its focus on individual liability for corporate executives, as per the directive… Continue Reading
DOJ, Individual Liability

The Yates Memo: A Reminder that Executives are Vulnerable Too

The 2015 Yates Memo continues to impact federal prosecutions as the Department of Justice continues to seek accountability from individuals responsible for corporate wrongdoings. As the two year anniversary of the Yates Memo approaches, recent FCA litigation exemplifies the Yates Memo’s intentions. For example, on June 26, 2017, the DOJ reminded us once again that business executives may… Continue Reading
DOJ, FCA Litigation

DOJ Announces Will Appeal Loss in AseraCare, Triggering Issues on Battle of the Experts, Statistical Sampling, and Bifurcation

$200 million and pivotal legal precedent are at stake in the False Claims Act (“FCA”) case against AseraCare, Inc. (“AseraCare”), a for-profit hospice chain that was alleged to have fraudulently submitted claims that falsely certified hospice eligibility for patients who were not terminally ill. In May 2016, the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced… Continue Reading
Defense Arguments, DOJ, FCA Litigation

Number of Medically Unnecessary False Claims Cases Likely to Diminish

The DOJ recently intervened in a lawsuit against Prime Healthcare Services, Inc., and its subsidiaries (“Prime”).  The lawsuit alleges that Prime submitted claims for medically unnecessary services and routinely pressured its staff to exaggerate Medicare beneficiaries illnesses in order to increase the number of inpatient admissions and billed for services as inpatient admissions that should… Continue Reading

We use cookies to enhance your experience of our website. By continuing to use this website, you agree to the use of these cookies. For more information and to learn how you can change your cookie settings, please see our policy.

Agree