Corporate Whistleblower Center Launches New Initiative Involving Sleep Clinic Medicare Fraud and Encourages Potential Whistleblowers to Contact Them Regarding Reward Programs

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Sep 16, 2014, 08:30 ET

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Corporate Whistleblower Center is urging employees of sleep clinics if they have proof one of these types of medical facilities is being used to overbill Medicare, because the rewards for this type of information can really be significant. For more information potential whistleblowers are urged to contact the Corporate Whistleblower Center anytime at 866-714-6466. http://CorporateWhistleblowerCenter.Com

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Healthcare Workers (PRNewsFoto/Corporate Whistleblower Center)

AW logo (PRNewsFoto/Corporate Whistleblower Center)

The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "We are urging employees who work at sleep clinic, who possess well document proof of Medicare fraud to call us anytime at 866-714-6466, because we are convinced these types of whistleblower cases are so easy to prove, and because the reward potential can be so significant." http://CorporateWhistleblowerCenter.Com

On September 9th 2014, the Justice Department announced it has settled part of, and joined in part of, a lawsuit brought by a whistle-blower that alleges a Northeast Florida based sleep clinic intentionally billed the government for millions of dollars of services that were not medically necessary, and, in some instances, were never actually performed.

While the doctors involved certified that they would supervise the sleep clinic, the government alleges that the doctors merely lent their names in exchange for compensation. But for these physicians' involvement, the lawsuit alleges, the Sleep Medicine Center would not have been able to bill the federal healthcare programs. For example, the government alleges that one doctor signed Durable Medical Equipment orders for patients that he never saw and another doctor's sleep study interpretations even when the machines allegedly performing the approved studies were broken.

This lawsuit was originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by a former employee at the clinic. Under those provisions, a private party, known as a relator, can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery.

In this instance the whistleblower will receive more than $60,000 as part of the settlement.

The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "If you are an employee in healthcare, and you have seen these types of practices please call us at 866-714-6466. We are especially interested in talking to employees at healthcare facilities, who have significant proof of overbilling Medicare at a sleep clinic, at a hospice provider, at a radiology center, at a skilled nursing facility, or a dialysis center, or at a hospital ER. You are not supposed to bill Medicare for services that were never performed, or should have never been performed." http://CorporateWhistleblowerCenter.Com

Simple rules for a whistleblower from the Corporate Whistleblower Center:

Do not go to the government first if you are a major whistleblower. The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "Major whistleblowers frequently go to the federal government thinking they will help. It's a huge mistake."
Do not go to the news media with your whistleblower information. Any public revelation of a whistleblower's information could destroy any prospect for a whistleblower reward with the DOJ.
Do not try to force a government contractor, or corporation to come clean to the government about their wrongdoing. The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "Fraud is so rampant among federal contractors that any suggestion of exposure might result in an instant job termination, or severe harassment of the whistleblower. Come to us first, tell us what type of information you have, and if we think it's sufficient, we will help find the right law firms to assist in advancing your information."

Any type of insider or employee who possesses significant proof of their employer or a government contractor defrauding the federal government is encouraged to contact to Corporate Whistleblower Center anytime at 866-714-6466 or via their web site at http://CorporateWhistleBlowerCenter.Com

For attribution purposes please refer to the United States Department of Justice press release dated September 9th 2014: http://www.justice.gov/usao/flm/press/2014/Sep/20140909_Sleep%20Clinic.html

Case number: The case is captioned United States ex rel. Nichols v. Sleep Medicine Center et al.

Contact:

M. Thomas Martin

866-714-6466

SOURCE Corporate Whistleblower Center