When individuals suspect that their employers are committing some type of wrongdoing, they may wonder whether they should speak up. Some people may understandably fear retaliation for being a whistleblower, but it is important that employers are not allowed to get away with violations of the federal False Claims Act. In many cases, individuals who can provide evidence of such violations also receive compensation.
New York readers may be interested in a recent case involving this type of violation. According to reports, a healthcare chain based in another state allegedly claimed to have the ability to help failing hospitals. However, their actions reportedly involved working to defraud the Medicare system and other government assistance programs. A nurse at one of the hospitals noticed the fraudulent activity and gathered evidence to present to the government.
The nurse claimed that the hospital coerced workers into admitting patients to the hospital who could have gone home and also initiated quotas for the admittance of Medicare patients. The healthcare chain has reportedly agreed to settle the matter for $65 million. The nurse who made the claim and provided evidence will receive over $17 million for her efforts.
Violations of the federal False Claims Act are serious, and when employees suspect that such violations are occurring, it may be important that they understand what steps they can take. Acting as a whistleblower may seem intimidating, but it can help stop the wrongdoing underway. If New York workers feel that they have reason to file such a claim, they may wish to talk to experienced attorneys about their options.
