Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers Will Pay $4 Million for Submitting False Claims
June 4, 2009 by casey
The Department of Justice released the settlement of a False Claims Act on Thursday, May 21, involving the Texas-based nursing home chain, Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Inc. The company will pay $4 million to the United States to settle allegations that it submitted false claims to Medicaid and the Texas Medicaid program.
According to the case, Regency sought Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement for services that nursing home residents did not qualify for, were unnecessary, and were unsupported by required certification.
“With the number of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries increasing every year, we will take whatever action is necessary to make certain healthcare providers are reimbursed only for legitimate services provided to qualified beneficiaries,” said Tim Johnson, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas.
If you are witnessing fraud on the government, contact us by calling 800-377-1812 for strictly confidential advice from experienced counsel, with no fee obligation.
Walgreens Settlement
October 16, 2008 by nick
False Claims Act Attorney Group Settles with Nation’s Largest Pharmacy
Along with pharmacists Daniel Bieurance and Neil Thompson, the False Claims Act Attorney Group of Vanderlinden, Christensen, and Wojtalewicz is proud to announce the $9.9 million settlement of a False Claims Medicaid Fraud Case against the giant pharmacy chain Walgreens. Learn more here.
Small Pharmacy Chain Does the Right Thing
October 9, 2008 by nick
With Medicare and Medicaid fraud becoming more and more prevalent it is imperative that whistleblowers like Dan Bieurance and Neil Thompson do the right thing when companies like Walgreens repeatedly over-bill taxpayers. Not all pharmacy chains are as suspect. Take The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company (Stop & Shop), which recently voluntarily reported and returned $269,000 to the Massachusetts Medicaid Program.
From the Press Release:
Stop & Shop…discovered during an audit in 2006 that it had not reported the lowest price it had accepted for certain prescription drug products to MassHealth. By not reporting the lower prices to MassHealth, Stop and Shop was overpaid by $269,000. Massachusetts law requires pharmacies to charge Medicaid no more than the lowest price they are willing to accept from any “payer.” If the pharmacies’ price is lower than the price calculated by the state’s pricing formula, then the state will pay the lowest price.
It is encouraging to see companies self-policing themselves and doing the right thing for their companies and American tax payers. When companies do engage in fraud, either as a mater of practice or oversight, whistleblowers must come forward to do the right thing for them.