This past year, the False Claims Act (FCA) continued to be a key tool for the Justice Department and whistleblowers to bring suits against companies, including those in the financial services sector. The Justice Department...more
As we do every year, this issue revisits the key cases and other developments from the year gone by. And by most metrics, 2023 was a notable year for the False Claims Act (FCA).
We start with the numbers: The Department...more
2/28/2024
/ Causation ,
Damages ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Kickbacks ,
Materiality ,
Objective Falsity ,
Penalties ,
Qui Tam ,
Relators ,
Retaliation ,
Scienter ,
Settlement ,
Sovereign Immunity ,
Whistleblowers
On June 1, 2023, in U.S. ex rel. Schutte v. SuperValu Inc., the Supreme Court clarified the state-of-mind (or “scienter”) standard under the False Claims Act (FCA), holding that a defendant’s subjective belief that a claim...more
6/20/2023
/ Drug Pricing ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacies ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Reasonable Interpretations ,
Safeco ,
Safeco Insurance Co of America v Burr ,
Scienter ,
SCOTUS ,
US ex rel Thomas Proctor v Safeway Inc ,
US ex rel Tracy Schutte et al v SuperValu Inc et al
The False Claims Act (FCA) continued to be a key tool in 2022 for the Justice Department and whistleblowers to bring suits against companies, including those in the financial services sector. While the focus stayed largely on...more
In 2022, the False Claims Act (FCA) continued to be the federal government’s chief tool for combatting fraud. Many trends in recent years were likewise present in 2022: robust FCA enforcement generally, healthcare as the...more
Continuing its focus on healthcare technology and electronic health records (EHR) companies, the Department of Justice announced last month a $45 million settlement to resolve a False Claims Act suit involving EHR provider...more
12/14/2022
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Electronic Medical Records ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Influencers ,
Kickbacks ,
Physicians ,
Settlement ,
Technology ,
Vendors
The year 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of the Bradley False Claims Act Year in Review. In that decade, much has remained the same in FCA enforcement. To start with the obvious: It continues to result in billions of dollars...more
2/3/2022
/ Alternate Remedy ,
Anti-Kickback Statute ,
CARES Act ,
Causation ,
Class Action ,
Cybersecurity ,
Damages ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Dismissals ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Government Investigations ,
Healthcare ,
Local Coverage Determination (LCD) ,
Materiality ,
Overpayment ,
Pleading Standards ,
Public Disclosure Bar ,
Request for Equitable Adjustment ,
Scienter ,
Settlement
It is essential for employers that work with the federal government to stay up to date on the federal False Claims Act (“FCA”). In 2020, individual employees were front and center in the government’s enforcement of the FCA,...more
The False Claims Act (FCA) continues to be a primary tool for both the Justice Department and whistleblowers’ counsel to bring suits against companies in the financial services sector, and the nationwide pandemic did not halt...more
The False Claims Act (“FCA”) continued to serve as one of the primary tools utilized by the federal government against government contractors in 2020. One of the key areas that the government focused on this past year was...more
This year saw substantial activity in FCA settlements and litigated court cases. Although no single case or development dominated the discourse this year, several important court decisions were issued, including two that may...more
2/1/2021
/ Ambiguous ,
Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Damages ,
Deficit Reduction ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Department of Veterans Affairs ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ,
Fee-Shifting ,
First-to-File ,
Fraud ,
Materiality ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Qualified Immunity ,
Reasonable Interpretations ,
Retaliation ,
Speaker Programs ,
Statute of Limitations
The year 2019 was another active year in False Claims Act (FCA) investigations and litigation. Although the year lacked a singular blockbuster case, there were decisions of particular note. The Supreme Court clarified the...more
1/23/2020
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Medicare Advantage ,
Private Equity ,
Public Disclosure Bar ,
Qui Tam ,
Stark Law ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Whistleblowers
The year 2019 was another active year in False Claims Act (FCA) investigations and litigation. Although the year lacked a singular blockbuster case, there were decisions of particular note. The Supreme Court clarified the...more
1/20/2020
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Causation ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure ,
Final Judgment ,
First-to-File ,
Government Investigations ,
Health Care Providers ,
Issue Preclusion ,
Materiality ,
Medicare Advantage ,
Objective Falsity ,
Overpayment ,
Pleading Standards ,
Public Disclosure Bar ,
Qui Tam ,
Sanctions ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Standing ,
Stark Law ,
Statute of Limitations
Resolving a circuit split, the United States Supreme Court in Cochise Consultancy, Inc. v. U.S. ex rel. Hunt held that False Claims Act (FCA) whistleblowers are able to take advantage of an expanded statute of limitations,...more
5/17/2019
/ Appeals ,
Cause of Action Accrual ,
Cochise Consultancy Inc v United States ex rel Hunt ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Government Officials ,
Intervenors ,
Motion to Dismiss ,
Oral Argument ,
Qui Tam ,
Reaffirmation ,
Relators ,
Reversal ,
SCOTUS ,
Split of Authority ,
Statute of Limitations
Companies that work with the federal government (think Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements, government contracts, grant funding) need to stay up to date on the False Claims Act (FCA). The FCA is one of the primary tools used...more
INTRODUCTION -
Unlike some recent years, 2018 was somewhat short on headline grabbing news related to the False Claims Act (FCA). There were, to be sure, significant developments in the courts and within the Department of...more
1/18/2019
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Dismissals ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
False Implied Certification Theory ,
Fraud and Abuse ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Qui Tam ,
Relators ,
Retaliation ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Universal Health Services Inc v United States ex rel Escobar ,
Whistleblowers ,
Yates Memorandum
It’s Time to Review Your Compliance, Data and Auditing Plans -
As we near the end of 2018, healthcare providers and companies are understandably focused on 2019 and the trends ahead. In planning for next year, however,...more
12/17/2018
/ Audits ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Data Management ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Fraud Strike Force ,
Opioid ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacies ,
Physicians ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Risk Mitigation
Since early 2018, federal health care regulators and enforcers have seemingly sung a new tune. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) walls bear posters inscribed with the phrase “Patients Over Paperwork.” The...more
8/7/2018
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
OIG ,
Qui Tam ,
Safe Harbors ,
Value-Based Care
The opioid crisis in America is now well known, affecting a staggering number of people directly or indirectly and occupying a regular place in media reports and political discussions. In addition to potential public health...more
7/19/2018
/ Civil Liability ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
DEA ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Drug & Alcohol Abuse ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Agency Taskforce ,
Health Care Providers ,
Investigations ,
Law Enforcement ,
OIG ,
Opioid ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacies ,
Physicians ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Supply Chain
Last week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued two separate memoranda with potentially far-reaching consequences. While the practical effect of these documents remains to be seen, they may provide another avenue of...more
The federal government continues to use the False Claims Act (FCA) as one of its prime enforcement tools against government contractors. To keep you informed on the status of the law, Bradley’s Government Enforcement and...more
1/30/2018
/ Causation ,
Damages ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
False Implied Certification Theory ,
First-to-File ,
FRCP 9(b) ,
Materiality ,
Objective Falsity ,
Overpayment ,
Pro Se Litigants ,
Reverse False Claims ,
Settlement ,
Universal Health Services Inc v United States ex rel Escobar ,
Yates Memorandum
Bradley’s Government Enforcement and Investigations practice group is pleased to present the 2017 False Claims Act Year in Review, our annual review of significant False Claims Act (FCA) cases, developments, and trends. The...more
1/24/2018
/ Causation ,
Damages ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
False Implied Certification Theory ,
Federal Contractors ,
First-to-File ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Materiality ,
Pro Se Litigants ,
Retaliation ,
Rule 9(b) ,
Universal Health Services Inc v United States ex rel Escobar
We are pleased to present Bradley’s annual review of significant False Claims Act (FCA) cases, developments, and trends. From a relatively short article several years ago, the Review has grown to a significant publication...more
1/10/2017
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Appeals ,
Calculation of Damages ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Defense Contracts ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
False-Certification of Conformance ,
Federal Contractors ,
FRCP 9(b) ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Materiality ,
Objective Falsity ,
Off-Label Promotion ,
Overpayment ,
Public Disclosure ,
Qui Tam ,
Retaliation ,
SCOTUS ,
Standard of Review ,
Successor Liability ,
Transfer of Venue ,
United States ex rel Nelson v Sanford-Brown ,
Universal Health Services Inc v United States ex rel Escobar ,
Whistleblowers ,
Yates Memorandum
The False Claims Act (FCA) is the federal government’s chief weapon to combat false or fraudulent claims made to the government and has resulted in billions of dollars of recoveries. In recent years, broad interpretation of...more
The Supreme Court’s decision in Universal Health Services v. United States ex rel. Escobar reframes when falsity may be implied under the False Claims Act (FCA) and raises the bar for materiality under the statute. Though the...more