Whistleblower lawsuits are on the rise as citizens help disclose cases of fraud against the government – and reap large rewards for their efforts. Among the more prevalent cases are those involving Medicare and Medicaid fraud.
Since whistleblower lawsuits can be complex, it is helpful to get representation from a whistleblower lawyer experienced in dealing with government agencies and major corporations. It is also important that your lawyer file a lawsuit as quickly as possible since the government uses a “first to file” rule, meaning that the first person who brings suit against an entity allegedly defrauding the government is entitled to the government reward, a reward that can be millions of dollars.
Kline & Specter has represented clients in a number of major whistleblower lawsuits involving Medicare and Medicaid.
In one case, our whistleblower attorneys represented a whistleblower whose litigation resulted in a $35 million settlement with a healthcare system over alleged Medicare fraud. At the time, that was the largest settlement of its kind in Arizona history. The whistleblower, a former employee of the non-profit healthcare system, was to receive a reward of nearly $6 million. (See article)
Kline & Specter whistleblower lawyers also represented a client in litigation that resulted in a $16.2 million judgment against Orthopaedic and Neuro Imaging LLC for submitting false claims for Medicare reimbursement. The decision by a federal judge in Delaware concluded the company administered contrast dye during MRI scans on patients without proper supervision by a physician, a violation of Medicare rules. The whistleblower, a former ONI employee, was to receive a $2.9 million reward under terms of the U.S. False Claims Act. (Read the government news release).
In yet another case, our whistleblower lawyers represented a client in a case that settled for $10.19 million against New York-based Sorkin’s Rx, Ltd., a/k/a CareMed Pharmaceutical Services, for allegedly engaging in fraudulent practices in the sale of prescription medications to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. The whistleblower’s reward was $1.85 million.
In 2018, our whistleblower attorneys represented a client in a case that resulted in the hospice company SouthernCare Inc. paying nearly $5.9 million for wrongly billing Medicare for unnecessary care. The government claimed that SouthernCare Inc. placed patients who were not terminally ill into hospice, then submitted claims for that more expensive treatment.
And in a 2019 settlement, our firm represented a pharmacist whistleblower who alleged that Walgreen Co. (“Walgreens”) submitted claims to Medicaid for stimulants such as Adderall, Ritalin, and Vyvanse without first verifying with the prescribing doctor that the medication was for medically appropriate treatment, as is required. Walgreen agreed to settle the Wisconsin case for $3.5 million.
Our whistleblower lawyers also filed suit in a case in which an Arizona community health system agreed to pay the United States $5.85 million to resolve claims it overbilled Medicare using inflated employee work hours. The whistleblower reward was $1.17 million. (See news release)
If you have information or evidence about a major Medicaid or Medicare fraud perpetrated against the government, you should call one of our whistleblower attorneys at 800-243-1100 for a free evaluation of the potential case.
Kline & Specter, based in Philadelphia and handling whistleblower cases throughout the nation, has more than 50 highly experienced attorneys, several of whom have worked as government prosecutors or won large verdicts and settlements against major corporations. Our whistleblower lawyers are well-equipped to assist citizens across the United States in the process of filing claims under the U.S. False Claims Act or various state laws. They can also help ensure that plaintiffs receive their fair rewards from successful civil actions.
Among Kline & Specter attorneys working on whistleblower lawsuits is Conor Lamb, a former congressman, federal prosecutor and decorated former Marine Corps major. Lamb won a number of high-profile cases as a military judge advocate and while a government prosecutor, including efforts that helped dismantle a major drug trafficking operation in western Pennsylvania. He earned both his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.
Kline & Specter has offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and New York. For cases outside those states, we work with local attorneys in each state as applicable.
We handle whistleblower lawsuits on a contingent fee basis, meaning the law firm gets paid a percentage of a reward plus expenses if – and only if – a suit is successful. If there is no reward, the firm receives no remuneration, not even for expenses that may have been incurred.