Tag: False Claims Act
Doctor agrees to settle fraud claims
September 16, 2024HME News Staff
WILMINGTON, Del. – Dr. Vishal Patel, a Wilmington, Del., physician, has agreed to pay more than $1 million to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by ordering medically unnecessary DME for patients covered by Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Delaware, Patel allegedly referred patients for more than 1750 orthotic devices, including wrist, shoulder, knee, ankle, and back braces, even though...
In brief: Numotion resolves allegations, AdaptHealth taps new exec, FDA strengthens oversight
August 28, 2024HME News Staff
PHOENIX, Ariz. – United Seating and Mobility, d/b/a Numotion, has agreed to pay $13.5 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the federal False Claims Act.
The settlement resolves allegations by the United States that Numotion submitted false claims to Medicare and other federal health care programs for custom wheelchairs and wheelchair parts. According to the allegations, the claims were false because they were based on patient evaluations that were unlawfully...
Numotion settles FCA allegations
August 27, 2024HME News Staff
PHOENIX – United Seating and Mobility, d/b/a Numotion, has agreed to pay $13.5 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the federal False Claims Act.
The settlement resolves allegations by the United States that Numotion submitted false claims to Medicare and other federal health care programs for custom wheelchairs and wheelchair parts. According to the allegations, the claims were false because they were based on patient evaluations that were unlawfully authored,...
Whistleblowers drive increase in FCA lawsuits
March 22, 2024Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON – The False Claims Act has led to a growth industry of sorts and it’s unlikely to slow down any time soon, says health care attorney Jeff Baird.
The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced $2.68 billion in settlements and judgments under the FCA, its highest number in a single year, with more than $1.8 billion related to health care. The vast majority are driven by whistleblower lawsuits, says Baird, chairman of the Health Care Group at Brown & Fortunato.
“There...
In brief: Rotech’s notification, DOJ’s fraud record, VGM’s CISO
February 28, 2024HME News Staff
ORLANDO, Fla. – Rotech Healthcare on Feb. 23 provided notification of a recent privacy incident experienced by Philips Respironics that may have impacted certain information of patients who purchased Philips sleep and respiratory devices from Rotech.
“Although Rotech is unaware of any misuse of information resulting from this event, we are providing this notice in an abundance of caution,” the company stated on its website.
When reached for comment, a spokesman...
Cigna pays $172M to resolve FCA allegations
October 4, 2023HME News Staff
PHILADELPHIA – Cigna has agreed to pay $172 million to resolve allegations that it violated the civil False Claims Act by submitting and failing to withdraw inaccurate and untruthful diagnosis codes for its Medicare Advantage Plan enrollees to increase its payments from Medicare.
Cigna will pay about $135 million to resolve the allegations, with the remaining $37 million resolving allegations related to unsupported diagnoses for MA beneficiaries arising from Cigna’s home visit...
Lincare to pay $29M to settle False Claims Act violations
August 29, 2023HME News Staff
SPOKANE, Wash. – Lincare has agreed to pay $29 million settlement to resolve claims that violated the False Claims Act by overbilling Medicare and Medicare Advantage, according to a press release from Vanessa Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
The settlement requires Lincare to refund wrongful payments made by Medicare beneficiaries and sets up accountability measures to prevent future fraudulent billing.
In the settlement announced...
AdaptHealth resolves alleged false claims violations
April 24, 2023HME News Staff
PHILADELPHIA – AdaptHealth will pay $5.3 million to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations for submitting allegedly false claims to federal health care programs for respiratory devices that patients did not need or use, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The settlement resolves allegations that between 2013 and 2017 AdaptHealth, known at the time as QMES and Tri-County Medical Equipment and Supply, knowingly and willfully...
DOJ recoups $2.2B under False Claims Act
February 8, 2023HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – Settlements and judgments under the False Claims Act exceeded $2.2 billion in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2022, according to the Department of Justice.
The government and whistleblowers were party to 351 settlements and judgments, the second-highest number of settlements and judgments in a single year. Recoveries since 1986, when Congress substantially strengthened the civil False Claims Act, now total more than $72 billion.
“Protecting taxpayer dollars...
Respironics settles for $24M
September 1, 2022HME News Staff
PITTBURGH – Philips Respironics has agreed to pay more than $24 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it misled federal health care programs by paying kickbacks to DME suppliers, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced.
The settlement resolves allegations that Respironics caused DME suppliers to submit claims for ventilators, oxygen concentrators, CPAP and BiPAP machines, and other respiratory related medical equipment that were false because the company provided...