Qui Tam

Health Care Fraud Lawyers Gather to Discuss Amendments to False Claims Act and Other Whistleblower Developments

By Finch McCranie, Esq.

Attorneys from across the country will gather tomorrow in Atlanta to discuss health care fraud and the 2009 amendments to the False Claims Act, the nation's primary whistleblower statute.

I am pleased to be on the panel discussing "False Claims Act Developments," moderated by Jack Boese of Fried Frank. This will be a particularly interesting year for this annual meeting, as Congress enacted major changes to the False Claims Act that took effect on May 20, 2009.

In addition, the "Health Care Fraud Enforcement Act" pending in the Senate would enhance further the government's tools used to investigate and remedy Medicare and Medicaid fraud. This bill would remove any question that all payments made pursuant to illegal kickbacks are "false" for purposes of the False Claims Act.

Among the significant 2009 changes to the False Claims Act made by the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act are the following:

1. The amendments expanded the definition of "claim," and fraud directed against government contractors, grantees, and other recipients is now plainly covered by the False Claims Act.

2. Funds administered by the United States government (e.g., in Iraq) are now protected.

3. Retaining overpayments of money from the government is now a stated basis of liability, which is a source of concern for health care providers, among others.

4. Liability for "conspiracy" to violate the Act is now broader.

5. Protection of whistleblowers and others against "retaliation" now extends not only to "employees," but also to "contractors" and "agents"; and persons other than "employers" potentially may be liable for retaliation.

6. In investigations, the government now has authority to use "Civil Investigative Demands" more broadly, and to share information more with state and local authorities and with whistleblowers/relators.

7. A standard definition of what is "material" now applies in False Claims Act cases.

8. The statute of limitations has been clarified for when the government asserts its own claims, after the whistleblower (or "relator") has filed a qui tam case under the False Claims Act.

The full agenda for tomorrow's "SOUTHEASTERN HEALTH CARE FRAUD INSTITUTE" is below:

Full post as published by Whistleblower Lawyer Blog on December 16, 2009 (boomark / email).