The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, recently chose his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris of California. The announcement provides an opportunity to discuss the impact of a vice-president on the field of health care.How does a vice president...
Stark Law/Anti-Kickback Statutes
Novartis to pay millions to settle health care fraud claims
The government continues its crackdown on the use of bribes in the medical field. Although it is noble to better ensure physicians are motivated by patient need and not financial gain, the distinction between what is legal and what is not can be difficult to...
Hospital system agrees to $16M settlement for decade old claim
The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced a southern hospital system, Piedmont Healthcare, Inc., had agreed to pay $16 million to settle allegations of wrongdoing. Both parties intend the settlement to resolve two separate legal claims. How did the case...
Did a pharmaceutical company use charity to hide kickbacks?
Federal prosecutors have accused a pharmaceutical company, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, of using charitable organizations to funnel illegal kickback payments to doctors. The allegations are connected to the use of an injectable drug used to treat macular...
AKS violations: A timeline of a typical case
Lawmakers designed the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) to help better ensure medical professionals focus on the well-being of their patients. Lawmakers intended this piece of regulation to reduce the risk of medical decisions based on financial gain. But what...
NY telehealth company could get millions in acquisition deal
The current coronavirus pandemic has forced us to rethink our daily lives. We have had to change how we work, how we communicate, and how we get medical care. One realization: we may have downplayed the importance of telemedicine. We have had the technology to utilize...
Ex NFL star gets 22 yrs for health care fraud, asks for leniency
A court recently found former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back Monty Ray Grow guilty of health care fraud and sentenced him to 22 years imprisonment as well as over $19 million in mandatory restitution. The conviction was part of criminal allegations connected to...
Spine device manufacturer faces lawsuit for health care fraud
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced it was pursuing allegations of health care fraud against a spine device manufacturer along with its executives.What were the accusations? The agency specifically stated the founder and chief executive...
TX pharmacist faces decades imprisonment for health care fraud
The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently accused a Texas pharmacist of partaking in a scheme to defraud the government. The agency claimed the medical professional and his wife billed the federal government for over $20 million for medically unnecessary topical...
One key difference between civil and criminal AKS violations
The government uses the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) to help better ensure doctors are not letting financial gain impact decisions about patient care. As a result, the government may make an AKS claim if a doctor is getting payment or has some financial benefit from an...