Some nursing homes have been taking advantage of vulnerable residents to milk government coffers, and the federal government promises an aggressive response to nursing home fraud.On June 15, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a False Claims Act complaint against an Ohio-based nursing home operator, alleging that three nursing homes run by the company “provided grossly substandard services” that didn’t meet basic standards of care. The False Claims Act prohibits companies from fraudulently … [Read more...]
False Claims Act Whistleblower Protection: Senate Committee Advances Strengthening Bill
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee recently voted to advance a bill strengthening the False Claims Act and False Claims Act whistleblower protection, the first significant amendment to the law in more than a decade. At an Oct. 28 hearing, the committee voted the False Claims Amendments Act of 2021 (S.2428) out of committee, advancing it to the Senate floor for consideration. The bill boasts bipartisan support. Its cosponsors include Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Patrick Leahy … [Read more...]
National Whistleblower Day Marks 238 Years of Supporting Those Who Expose Government Misconduct
National Whistleblower Day — July 30 — was recognized as “Whistleblower Appreciation Day” in the United States Senate. This is the fourth consecutive year that the Senate has passed a resolution recognizing the date and expressing support for whistleblowers—courageous government and private-sector workers and contractors who risk their livelihoods and reputations to expose corruption, graft and misconduct within their organizations. This date is no accident. The American tradition of supporting … [Read more...]
Implied False Certification: Supreme Court Strikes a Blow in Favor of Whistleblowers
In May, we wrote about how U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s death might impact a key whistleblower case brought under the False Claims Act. It turns out that Justice Scalia’s presence might not have made much of a difference: The eight remaining Justices came through with a significant—and unanimous—victory for whistleblower plaintiffs, and delivered a strong rebuke to government contractors that would defraud taxpayers through misleading omissions and then evade responsibility by … [Read more...]
New York False Claims Act: A Major Victory Under Its Tax Fraud Provision
The New York Court of Appeals handed the state’s Attorney General a big victory in 2015 in a case involving tax fraud under the New York False Claims Act. New York’s highest court ruled that the Attorney General may proceed with a lawsuit against Sprint for knowingly defying a state tax law that requires telecom companies to collect sales tax on the entirety of flat-rate contracts with its mobile customers.The lawsuit alleges that Sprint initially complied with the law, which was enacted in … [Read more...]