Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, announced recently that the Department of Justice obtained more than $4.7 billion in settlements and judgments from civil cases involving fraudulent claims against the government in fiscal year 2016. This is the third highest annual recovery in False Claims Act history, bringing the fiscal year average to nearly $4 billion since fiscal year 2009, and the total recovery during that period to $31.3 billion.

Of the $4.7 billion recovered, $2.5 billion came from federal losses in  the health care industry, including drug companies, medical device companies, hospitals, nursing homes, laboratories, and physicians. The Department of Justice was instrumental in recovering additional millions of dollars for state Medicaid programs. This is the seventh consecutive year that DOJ’s civil health care fraud recoveries have exceeded $2 billion.

“Congress amended the False Claims Act 30 years ago to give the government a more effective tool against false and fraudulent claims against federal programs,” said Mizer.

An astonishing 60 percent of those recoveries were obtained in the last eight years.  The beneficiaries of these efforts include veterans, the elderly, and low-income families who are insured by federal health care programs; families and students who are able to afford homes and go to college thanks to federally insured loans; and all of us who are protected by the government’s investment in national security and defense.  In short, Americans across the country are healthier, enjoy a better quality of life, and are safer because of our continuing success in protecting taxpayer funds from misuse.

The help wanted for these cases come from healthcare fraud whistleblowers with knowledge of fraud, waste and abuse and the need to stop it, particularly when it causes patient harm.  Nolan Auerbach & White represents only healthcare whistleblower cases on behalf of courageous whistleblowers.  More information for whistleblowers is available at the Nolan Auerbach & White website.