Fraud, Healthcare, COVID-19 and the False Claims Act

Catherine Short speaks with Shauna Itri, Partner at Seeger Weiss LLP on the topic of “Fraud, Healthcare, COVID-19 and the False Claims Act.” A whistleblower or qui tam action can provide financial rewards to individuals who have information that a company/individual has committed fraud. The primary statutes under which this relief may be sought are the federal and state False Claims Acts (“FCAs”). In addition to the FCAs, there are other statutes which apply to tax fraud, securities fraud, and in California, fraud on private insurance companies. This episode will provide an overview of the False Claims Acts, the knowledge and skills to be able to recognize a potential whistleblower case, and understand the unique procedures utilized in filing whistleblower cases/tips. We will also delve into recent trends in cases brought (or that could be brought) under the False Claims Act including cases involving mined data and potential fraud related to COVID-19.