Wave of DOJ Actions Targets Healthcare Fraudsters

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) kicked its healthcare fraud enforcement activities into high gear last week, unveiling charges against hundreds of individuals and companies for paying kickbacks and billing for unnecessary drugs, supplies and tests. The cases, which alleged nearly $1.5 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers, targeted specialty pharmacies, pharmaceutical manufacturers and marketing companies, durable medical equipment and medical device suppliers, genetic testing companies and a telemedicine company, among others.

We’ll have more to say about some of these actions in future posts. For now, suffice it to say that it appears to be a bad time for healthcare providers to push the envelope with “creative” arrangements that don’t strictly comply with federal and state law, particularly the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.