kickbacks | The Health Law Firm Blog

Miami Medical Clinic Owner Pleads Guilty to $20 Million in Medicare Fraud

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

The owner of a Miami-based medical clinic pleaded guilty on January 8, 2014, for her involvement in several health care fraud schemes that allegedly cost the Medicare program around $20 million. The schemes allegedly involved fraudulent billing for home health care services and therapy prescriptions to patients that may not have required them, according to the Associated Press. The owner operated Merfi Corp., a medical clinic that employed physicians, physician assistants and other medical professionals authorized to dispense prescriptions for home health care services.

Click here to read the Associated Press article.

The […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:54-04:00June 1, 2018|Medicare, Medicare Audit, The Health Law Firm Blog|

Walgreens Reaches Settlement in False Claims Act Case

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

Walgreens has reached a $7.9 million settlement with the United States and participating states that resolves allegations that Walgreens violated the False Claims Act. The DOJ announced the settlement on April 20, 2012. To view the DOJ’s press release concerning the settlement with Walgreens, click here. To view the False Claims Act, click here.

Walgreens Allegedly Offered Illegal Inducements to Medicare and Medicaid Beneficiaries.

The settlement was reached after Walgreens was accused of offering illegal inducements to beneficiaries of government health programs (Medicare, Medicaid, the Federal […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:31-04:00June 1, 2018|Medicaid, Medicare, The Health Law Firm Blog|

South Florida Pharmacy Owner Pleads Guilty to $23 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

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

A co-owner and operator of three Miami-area pharmacies pleaded guilty on December 6, 2012, for his part in a $23 million health care fraud scheme. The pharmacy owner allegedly admitted in the Florida Southern Federal District Court to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to pay illegal health care kickbacks, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release.

Click here to read the entire press release from the DOJ.

Pharmacy Owner Used Kickbacks and Referrals to Allegedly Scam Medicare and Medicaid.

According to […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:41-04:00June 1, 2018|Assisted Living Facilities, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Fraud, The Health Law Firm Blog|

Major Medicare Offender Sentenced to Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Health Care Fraud Scheme

By Lance O. Leider, J.D., The Health Law Firm

The former owner of four mental health facilities in South Florida and North Carolina was sentenced to fourteen (14) years in federal prison on February 25, 2013. The former business owner pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicare out of tens of millions of dollars from 2004 through 2011, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). He had previously been convicted of cocaine trafficking but decided to move to Medicare fraud supposedly because he thought it would be safer. In total the former mental health facility owner was indicted for defrauding the government of nearly $63 million. As part of his plea, he […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:45-04:00June 1, 2018|Assisted Living Facilities, In the News, Medicare, Medicare Audit, Medicare Fraud, The Health Law Firm Blog|

Two Separate Lawsuits Against Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation Allege Illegal Kickbacks and False Claims

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

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NPC) is currently fielding two different lawsuits, filed just days apart from each other, by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The first lawsuit was filed on April 23, 2013, alleging the company gave illegal kickbacks to pharmacists. A second lawsuit was filed on April 26, 2013, alleging illegal kickbacks were paid by NPC to health care providers. According to the DOJ, the government’s complaint seeks damages and civil penalties under the False Claims Act, and under the common law for paying kickbacks to doctors to induce them to prescribe NPC products […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:48-04:00June 1, 2018|Health Care Industry, In the News, Medicare, Medicare Fraud, The Health Law Firm Blog, Whistleblower|

Strike Force Busts 89 People, Mostly Health Care Professionals, in Nationwide Crackdown on Medicare Fraud

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

In a nationwide takedown nearly 100 people, including doctors, nurses and other medical professionals, in eight cities were all allegedly charged in separate Medicare fraud schemes. These individual scams involved approximately $223 million in false billing, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Humans Services (DHHS). On May 14, 2013, more than 400 law enforcement officials with the Medicare Fraud Strike Force spread out between Miami, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, New Orleans, Houston, Chicago and Tampa to make the arrests of these 89 people, according to the […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:48-04:00June 1, 2018|Health Care Industry, Medicare, Medicare Fraud, The Health Law Firm Blog|

Health Care Professionals and Providers Beware: The Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) Is Catching Fire

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

In May 2009, the Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) created the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT). HEAT’s mission is to focus its efforts on preventing and deterring fraud and to enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. To date, almost 1,400 individuals have been charged in connection with schemes involving more than $4.8 billion in fraudulent billings in these HEAT takedown operations.

To learn more about HEAT, click here to visit the website.

The Success of the HEAT Team.

According to the website, between […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:49-04:00June 1, 2018|Medicare, Medicare Fraud, The Health Law Firm Blog|

Top Medicare Prescribers Collect Speaking Fees from Drug Makers-Coincidence?

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

A recent investigation by ProPublica found that certain doctors who prescribed certain drug brands the most, also have financial ties to the companies that manufacture those prescription drugs. Using Medicare payment data, ProPublica and National Public Radio (NPR) researched physicians who prescribed the most heavily promoted drugs of 2010 and 2011. It was discovered that many of the doctors allegedly had financial relationships with prescription drug manufacturers. ProPublica states that they initiated this investigation out of fear that pharmaceutical payments are influencing […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:50-04:00June 1, 2018|Affordable Care Act, Health Care Industry, Medicare, Pharmaceutical Drugs, The Health Law Firm Blog, Whistleblower|

Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Arrests Three Florida Women for Allegedly Bilking Medicaid Out of $27,000

By Lance Leider, J.D., The Health Law Firm

Three Central Florida women were arrested by the Attorney General’s (AG) Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) on July 18, 2013, for allegedly defrauding Medicaid out of $27,000. According to the AG, the owner and two managers of Destiny TCM Corporation are accused of billing Medicaid for services never rendered and also bribing people in order to obtain their Medicaid recipient numbers.

To read the press release from the AG’s office, click here.

Violated Medicaid Fraud Kickback Statute.

An article in the Orlando Sentinel states that the Destiny TCM Corporation was supposed to provide targeted case-management services and link Medicaid recipients with mental health service […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:50-04:00June 1, 2018|Medicaid, Medicaid audit, The Health Law Firm Blog|

Florida Hospice to Pay $1 Million to Settle Whistleblower Lawsuit Over False Billing Claims

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

The Hernando-Pasco Hospice (HPH Hospice) in Hudson, Florida, agreed to pay $1 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for services to the Medicare and Medicaid Programs. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the hospice allegedly admitted patients that did not meet the requirements for end-of-life care. This lawsuit was originally filed in 2010, by two former hospice employees. The announcement was made on July 22, 2013.

Click here to read the entire press release from the U.S. Attorney’s […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:50-04:00June 1, 2018|Medicaid, Medicare, The Health Law Firm Blog, Whistleblower|