Whistleblower litigation can force businesses into regulatory compliance and hold them accountable for misconduct. People may not understand the importance of whistleblower actions, especially qui tam lawsuits brought under the state or federal False Claims Act.
In scenarios where professionals are aware of financial misconduct, they may choose to file a lawsuit against their employers. Qui tam lawsuits allow workers with information about inappropriate company conduct to become whistleblowers. They benefit from protection from retaliation and may even receive a portion of the funds recovered by the government in a successful lawsuit.
Recently, the Fischer Legal Group played a role in a very large, successful qui tam lawsuit finally resolved by New York State authorities.
A whistleblower took action over medical billing issues
In December, the New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced the conclusion of an investigation into a large home care service operating out of New York City. Americare, Inc. allegedly underpaid home health aides under the Wage Parity law.
At the same time, the company sought Medicaid reimbursement for services provided. The case required an in-depth investigation into both wage violations and Medicaid billing fraud.
The investigation found evidence supporting claims of fraud and wage violations worth far more than the alleged billing fraud. Americare, Inc., must pay $10 million to the New York Medicaid program to address violations of the False Claims Act. The organization also owes $45 million in unpaid wages to thousands of individual workers.
Those employed by the company between 2014 and 2020 may receive compensation for unpaid wages. The company has a repayment plan that requires 32 months of payments to current and former employees, amounting to $44,999,648 in wages owed to more than 10,000 workers. This investigation, eventually taken over by state authorities, began because of a qui tam lawsuit filed by the Fischer Legal Group on behalf of a whistleblower in 2017.
Professionals hoping to act as whistleblowers may need help evaluating their cases against their employers. They also need to be prepared for what can be a very lengthy process. Discussing questionable employer conduct regarding Medicaid or Medicare billing and worker payments with the Fischer team could help whistleblowers pursue a qui tam lawsuit that protects their interests and can potentially hold their employer accountable for causing harm.