Examples of Types of Fraud Exposed by Qui Tam Claims
Provided by a Whistleblower Lawyer
The False Claims Act covers fraud involving any federally funded contract or program, with the exception of tax fraud.
In the 1980s and 90s, qui tam actions usually involved defense contractors. Later, whistleblowers filed suits for Medicare or Medicaid, as well as other federally funded health care programs. Now a broad array of situations can constitute a False Claims Act violation.
If you are aware of criminal acts such as Medicare or Medicaid fraud, contact a whistleblower lawyer at Mike Love & Associates LLC.
Examples of Fraud Prosecuted Under the False Claims Act
It is impossible to list all of the types of fraud that the government prosecutes under the False Claims Act. However, the following list provides common examples of actions people take to defraud the government:
- Billing the government for services that were never rendered or were unnecessary
- Billing for tests or analysis that were not performed
- Billing for non-contract activities
- Presenting malfunctioning equipment as usable and operational
- Submitting records that falsely inflate performance criteria
- Performing false or unnecessary tests and submitting reimbursement forms for Medicare or Medicaid
- Automatically performing lab tests when result fall into a certain range, even through the tests are unnecessary and were not requested by a doctor
- Falsifying test results
- Lying about the price of a wholesale prescription drugs
- Unbundling—using multiple billing codes to commit Medicare fraud
- Bundling—billing for multiple tests when only one was performed
- Committing forgery
- Billing for brand-name drugs when generic drugs are used
- Failure to report over-payment
- Winning contracts with kickbacks and bribes
- Prescribing a particular medication in order to win kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies, labs, and hospitals
- Billing for unlicensed and unapproved drugs
- Falsifying data on contract guidelines, such as the military status of employees
- Repeat billing for goods and services
Contact a Whistleblower Lawyer to Fight Fraud
The False Claims Act is about more than money: it is about fighting the culture of fraud that cheats the American taxpayer out of billions of dollars every year.
While defense contractor, and Medicare or Medicaid are among the most abused programs, the government appreciates any help they can get from citizens to fight rampant fraud, and compensates you for your efforts.
Contact a whistleblower lawyer at Mike Love & Associates LLC to get confidential advice with no risk to your job security on a qui tam suit.