Mintz Levin's Health Care Enforcement Defense Group published its most recent Health Care Qui Tam Update on August 4, 2016. This Update covers 31 health care-related False Claims Act cases that have been unsealed since the last Health Care Qui Tam Update.
The Update takes an in-depth look at three noteworthy cases and analyzes the trends observed in recently unsealed cases:
- A substantial majority of the unsealed cases had been under seal for periods well in excess of the required statutory period. Of the 31 complaints, 28 were filed before 2015, with three unsealed complaints dating back to 2010. Of the remaining complaints, four were filed in 2012, eight in 2013, 12 in 2014 and three in 2015. As these cases illustrate, lengthy extensions of the seal on qui tam actions continue to be routine.
- The cases identified were filed in federal district courts in 18 states, including multiple cases in California (3), New York (4), Florida (4), Kentucky (2), Massachusetts (2), Ohio (2), and Pennsylvania (3).
- The federal government declined to intervene, or elected not to intervene at this time, in 23 of the 31 cases. The federal government intervened, in whole or in part, in eight cases.
- Nature of the Claims
- 15 of the recently unsealed cases involved both state and federal claims.
- Nine involved allegations of unlawful kickbacks. Of these nine, five also alleged violations of the Stark Law.
- Claims for relief under state or federal anti-whistleblower retaliation provisions appeared in six of the 31 recently unsealed cases.
- In nearly two-thirds of the unsealed cases (20 of 31), relators were current or former employees of the defendant. In two cases, the relator's relationship to the defendant was not revealed by the unsealed filings.
The full Update is available here.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.