Health Care Provider to Pay $1.5 Million to Settle Claims for Services Rendered by Unauthorized Physical Therapists
Seattle Whistleblower Attorneys report that Scripps Health (Scripps), a health care system based in San Diego, California, has agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by charging federal health care programs for physical therapy services that were rendered by therapists who did not have billing privileges for these programs and were not supervised by an authorized provider.
The settlement resolves allegations filed in a lawsuit by Suzanne Forrest, a former Scripps employee, under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals to sue for false claims on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The civil lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of California and is captioned United States ex rel. Forrest v. Scripps Health, Case No. 16-CV-0634. As part of this settlement, Ms. Forrest will receive $225,000.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Source: Dept. of Justice
The settlement resolves allegations filed in a lawsuit by Suzanne Forrest, a former Scripps employee, under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals to sue for false claims on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The civil lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of California and is captioned United States ex rel. Forrest v. Scripps Health, Case No. 16-CV-0634. As part of this settlement, Ms. Forrest will receive $225,000.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Source: Dept. of Justice