Articles Tagged with implied certification under the False Claims Act

scotusThe False Claims Act (“FCA” or “the Act”) is a powerful tool that allows private citizens to play a key role in fighting fraud on the federal government.  As we have reported in previous blog posts, this term the Supreme Court agreed to look at a disagreement among appellate courts regarding the issue known as implied certification.  Our whistleblowers’ law firm is pleased to report that the Court recently released a decision that affirms and strengthens the Act, ensuring it is available to fight a wide range of fraudulent acts.

Background: The Implied Certification Theory and the Escobar Case

As explained in The False Claims Act: A Primer, a guide released by the Department of Justice (“DOJ”), a person violates the FCA when they knowingly submit a false claim for payment to the government, knowingly cause another to submit a false claim, or knowingly create a false record/statement in order to induce the government to pay a false claim.  The Act was originally passed during the Civil War.  It underwent substantial revisions in the 1980s and again in 2009 and 2010.

Last year, our health care fraudcourthouse whistleblowers’ law firm reported on an important issue in the False Claims Act arena: implied certification.  The implied certification theory has the potential to be a powerful tool in the fight against fraud and, when we last discussed the topic, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled in favor of the theory.  However, there has been disagreement on the issue among the federal appellate courts and the issue is headed to the Supreme Court.  We continue to believe in the implied certification theory and we are closely following the issue as it makes its way to the highest court in the land.

The Escobar Case

As Modern Healthcare recently reported, the implied certification theory is heading to the Supreme Court via the case of Universal Health Services v. United States ex rel Escobar.  The case involves a claim filed by the parents of a teenager who died while under the care of a mental health clinic.  The plaintiffs allege that the clinic’s staff was not properly supervised and that the clinic lacked required board-certified or board-eligible supervisory personnel.  As the First Circuit wrote, “The crux of their complaint is that [Defendants’] alleged noncompliance with sundry supervision and licensure requirements rendered its reimbursement claims submitted to the state Medicaid agency actionably false under both the federal and Massachusetts False Claims Acts.”

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