False Claims Act Essay

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False Claims Act (FCA) – OIG. The False Claims Act (FCA) was developed as a tool to protect the government from fraud and abuse by those who falsify reimbursement claims for Federal health care programs (“A Roadmap for New Physicians: Fraud & Abuse Laws”). The Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Attorney General makes the determination whether or not the False Claims Act has been violated. In addition, private individuals can file claims under the FCA through qui tam actions. Liability. An individual who act or are found liable for the following acts are subjected to liability under the FCA. (31 U.S. Code § 3729): • Knowingly submits a false claim to the government • Knowingly makes a false record • Knowingly makes a statement to get a false claim paid by the government • Causes another to submit a false claim to the government • Knowingly makes a false record to avoid to have to pay or transmit money or property to the Government • Conspires to commit a violation of the FCA • Knowingly buys or receives as a pledge of an obligation or a debt, public property from an officer or employee of the state …show more content…

In addition, private citizens can also file a civil lawsuit on behalf of the government against an organization for violations of the FCA. Once the individual files a claim with the court, the claim is sealed for 60 days to allow government to investigate the allegations and decide whether to intervene in the claim. If the government decides to pursue the allegations, the individual who filed the claim can collect up to 15% to 25% of the amount recovered by the government (The False Claims Act: A Primer). However, if the government decides not to intervene, the individual has the right to pursue the claim privately and can recover between 25% to 30% of the settlement amount (The False Claims Act: A

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