• Qui Tam
  • SEC
  • CFTC
  • FCPA
  • Whistleblower Resources
  • FAQS
Subscribe
Donate
No Result
View All Result
Whistleblower Network News
The Truth at Any Cost.
Qui Tam, Compliance and Anti-Corruption News.
SIGN THE PETITION FOR NATIONAL WHISTLEBLOWER DAY IN 2023
Whistleblower Network News
  • Qui Tam
  • SEC
  • CFTC
  • FCPA
  • Whistleblower Resources
  • FAQS
Subscribe
Donate
No Result
View All Result
Whistleblower Network News
No Result
View All Result
Home False Claims-Qui Tam

Court Reinstates $255 Million Jury Verdict in Qui Tam Case Against Medicare Fraudsters

Peter BriccettibyPeter Briccetti
July 9, 2020
in False Claims-Qui Tam
Reading Time: 2 mins read
DOJ Recommends Dismissing “Meritless” Whistleblower Cases
Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInEmail

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit reinstated a jury’s verdict of over $85 million in a case brought by a whistleblower against Consulate Health Care. As the False Claims Act triples the final amount of damages that a company caught committing fraud will have to pay, this brings the total to over $255 million. Angela Ruckh, a career nurse and healthcare professional, first brought the complaint after noticing a pattern of upcoding claims and falsifying Medicaid and Medicare billing reports. By inflating small therapy claims and charging patients $10-$100 extra for services they did not need, Consulate Health Care (formerly La Vie Rehab) slowly defrauded the Medicaid and Medicare programs out of tens of millions of dollars over a few years.

Ruckh filed her False Claims Act complaint in 2011, but the federal government decided not to intervene and aid in her case. In most instances where the government passes on a False Claims Act lawsuit, the case is doomed to failure, either because of the high legal fees required to continue or countersuits brought by the defendants, usually large and wealthy companies. With the reinstatement of this verdict, Ruckh and her attorneys will have their legal fees paid for by the defendants under the False Claims Act’s provisions. This decision reinforces the False Claims Act’s sweeping power to produce justice even in cases where the federal government chooses not to intervene.

False Claims Act whistleblowers, or qui tam relators, can earn rewards of 15 to 30% of the funds recovered by the federal government. In cases where the government does not intervene, the whistleblower is entitled to 25 to 30% of the total funds recovered. This verdict is a victory for both the relator and the taxpayers who were defrauded in the scheme.

Support Whistleblower Network News

Read:

Consulate Health Care, Florida’s largest nursing home company, faces quarter-billion-dollar fraud judgment.

United States ex rel. Ruckh v. Salus Rehabilitation, LLC, No. 18-10500, 2020 WL 3467393 (11th Cir. June 25, 2020).

Tags: Qui Tamqui tam lawsuit
Previous Post

Whistleblower in Tamiflu Case Alleges Pharmaceutical Company Fooled CDC into $1.4 Billion Contract

Next Post

U.S. Merit System Protection Board Plagued by Structural Defects

Peter Briccetti

Peter Briccetti

Peter Briccetti is a contributing editor with Whistleblower Network News. He writes about breaking whistleblower news, and False Claims Act whistleblowers, FCPA whistleblowers, and tax fraud whistleblowers. Peter is a graduate of Hamilton College with a degree in History and an interest in politics and anti-corruption law. At Hamilton, he wrote for the Hamilton College Spectator as an editor and contributor.

Next Post
U.S. Merit System Protection Board Plagued by Structural Defects

U.S. Merit System Protection Board Plagued by Structural Defects

Please login to join discussion

Receive Daily Alerts

Subscribe to receive daily breaking news and legislative developments sent to your inbox.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Most Popular

Change the Culture, Make National Whistleblower Day Permanent

Tell President Biden to “Finish the Job” for Whistleblowers

Whistleblower Advocates See Parallels to Enron in Silicon Valley Bank Collapse

Whistleblower Jóhannes Stefánsson Plans to Testify at Fishrot Trial in Namibia

WNN Exclusive Interview with Social Security Whistleblowers Sarah Carver and Jennifer Griffith — Part 1

Whistleblower Raised Concerns of Rodents, Spiders in Kitchen of Childcare Facility, Then Fired; OSHA Rules They Were Retaliated Against

Whistleblower Poll

Whistleblower Poll
Whistleblower Poll

Exclusive Marist Poll: Overwhelming Public Support Among Likely Voters For Increased Whistleblower Protections

byGeoff Schweller
October 6, 2020

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

STAY INFORMED.
Subscribe to receive breaking whistleblower updates.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

About Us

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Careers

Subscribe

  • Daily Mail
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • YouTube Channel

Contribute

  • Letter to the Editor
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Reprint Guidelines

Your Experience

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Help

  • The Whistleblowers Handbook
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Advertise
Whistleblower Network News

Whistleblower Network News is an independent online newspaper providing our readers with up-to-date information on whistleblowing. Our goal is to be the best source of information on important qui tam, anti-corruption, compliance, and whistleblower law developments. 

Submit an Article

Copyright © 2021, Whistleblower Network News. All Rights Reserved.

This Newspaper/Web Site is made available by the publisher for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide specific legal advice. By using this website, you understand that there is no attorney-client relationship between you and the Newspaper/Web Site publisher. The Newspaper/Web Site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.

SIGN THE PETITION FOR NATIONAL WHISTLEBLOWER DAY IN 2023
No Result
View All Result
  • Exclusives
  • Government
    • False Claims-Qui Tam
    • Federal Employees
    • Intelligence
  • Corporate
    • CFTC & Commodities
    • Dodd-Frank
    • IRS & Tax
    • SEC & Securities
  • Features
  • Legislation
  • International
    • Foreign Corruption
  • Rewards
  • Whistleblower of the Week
  • Environment & Climate
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Employment
    • Sarbanes-Oxley Whistleblowers
    • Retaliation
    • OSHA
  • Media
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • National Whistleblower Day
  • Whistleblower Poll
  • Whistleblower Resources
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Resources for Locating An Attorney
    • The New Whistleblowers Handbook
  • National Whistleblower Day ’23

Copyright © 2020, Whistleblower Network News. All Rights Reserved.

Become a Whistleblower Network News Subscriber

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Subscribe to WNN

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Subscribe to WNN

Add New Playlist

Go to mobile version