financial interest in physician referrals

Judge Refuses to Dismiss $21 Million Suit against Florida Pharmacy Alleging Illegal Kickback Scheme

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On February 13, 2019, a federal judge turned down a Florida pharmacy’s motion to dismiss a $21 million False Claims Act (FCA) suit, but allowed its sister company out of the suit. The judge said Z Stat Medical LLC, which operates as Oldsmar Pharmacy and its owner, must face the government’s claims that it engaged in illegal kickback schemes to defraud Tricare. Oldsmar’s sister company, Stat Direct LLC, was dismissed from the lawsuit completely. There was no evidence […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:17-04:00February 21, 2019|Pharmacy Law Blog|

Florida-Based Compounding Pharmacy Violated False Claims Act by Overcharging Tricare, Feds Claim

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On July 3, 2017, a compounding pharmacy based in Tampa, Florida, charged Tricare at least 2,000 percent more for drugs than it charged cash payers, according to the government. Teh government claimed that the Florida pharmacy acted in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA), as it intervened in a whistleblower’s suit.

The government claimed that RS Compounding LLC and its owner, Renier Gobea, knew it was illegal to provide discounts to cash payers but not the government. However, the company still went through with a scheme to do it, the partial-intervention complaint says. Prosecutors […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:27-04:00May 15, 2018|Health Facilities Law Blog|

3 Sentenced in Florida for $175 Million Drug Compounding Fraud Scheme

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On March 24, 2017, three participants were sentenced in Florida federal court, for a scheme that used call centers and kickbacks to generate fake prescriptions for compounding pharmacies. The scheme was able to scam the government and private insurers for $175 million.

U.S. District Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley, sentenced one of the defendants, Todd Stephens, to ten years. He sentenced Todd Hanson to eight years and one month. He sentenced Christopher Mucha to 30 months in prison. Each defendant also received three years of supervised release (probation) after they are released from prison.

Illegal Enterprise.

Stephens, Hanson […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:30-04:00May 15, 2018|Pharmacy Law Blog|

Florida-Based Compounding Pharmacy Violated False Claims Act by Overcharging Tricare, Feds Claim

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On July 3, 2017, a compounding pharmacy based in Tampa, Florida, charged Tricare at least 2,000 percent more for drugs than it charged cash payers, according to the government. Teh government claimed that the Florida pharmacy acted in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA), as it intervened in a whistleblower’s suit.

The government claimed that RS Compounding LLC and its owner, Renier Gobea, knew it was illegal to provide discounts to cash payers but not the government. However, the company still went through with a scheme to do it, the partial-intervention complaint says. Prosecutors […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:30-04:00May 15, 2018|Pharmacy Law Blog|

Federal Judge Refuses to Dismiss Florida Compounding Pharmacy’s FCA Suit

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On December 4, 2017, a Florida federal judge refused to dismiss the federal government’s False Claims Act (FCA) suit against a compounding pharmacy. RS Compounding LLC and its owner, Renier Gobea, are accused of overbilling Tricare for prescriptions. The federal judge refused the dismissal on the grounds that the government had sufficiently backed its allegations against both the company and its owner.

Judge Finds Claims Are Sufficiently Stated.

According to U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington, the government adequately pled its claims that RS and Gobea had knowingly charged Tricare prices well in excess of […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:32-04:00May 15, 2018|Pharmacy Law Blog|

Federal Judge Refuses to Dismiss Florida Compounding Pharmacy’s FCA Suit

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On December 4, 2017, a Florida federal judge refused to dismiss the federal government’s False Claims Act (FCA) suit against a compounding pharmacy. RS Compounding LLC and its owner, Renier Gobea, are accused of overbilling Tricare for prescriptions. The federal judge refused the dismissal on the grounds that the government had sufficiently backed its allegations against both the company and its owner.

Judge Finds Claims Are Sufficiently Stated.

According to U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington, the government adequately pled its claims that RS and Gobea had knowingly charged Tricare prices well in excess of […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:33-04:00May 15, 2018|Health Facilities Law Blog|