Whistleblowers are an integral part of the justice system, discovering and exposing wrongdoing, from tax and securities fraud to pharmaceutical industry fraud. They often have federal law to rely on, including under the False Claims Act (FCA). The Act incentivizes Whistleblowers with a share of the settlement the government recovers from fraudulent activity.
The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the pharmaceutical industry with rules in place for selling and marketing prescription drugs, including required labeling for FDA-approved use. Drug companies cannot shower physicians and hospitals with lavish gifts or pay kickbacks. When you are an insider privy to fraudulent behavior, you need to speak with a Greenville pharmaceutical industry whistleblower lawyer. Our experienced attorneys could protect your interests.
A wide range of fraudulent practices could contribute to pharmaceutical fraud, including engaging in off-market labeling. This happens when drug companies market products for uses that are not FDA-approved, but the reimbursements are higher from state and federal healthcare programs, including Medicaid and Medicare. Other examples of fraud whistleblowers routinely uncover in the pharmaceutical industry include:
Whistleblowers do not have to be an employee of the pharmaceutical company. They can be any citizen who discovers fraudulent practices. Those who believe they have uncovered shady dealings in Greenville should contact an experienced pharmaceutical industry whistleblower lawyer.
Medicare, the federal health insurance system that covers citizens 65 and older, added prescription drugs to the coverage in 2006. Medicare Part D fraud became rampant, and the federal government now actively seeks those abusing the rules under the FCA. They are aggressively prosecuted, often with the help of whistleblowers, and continue to fill federal prisons when convicted.
Drug companies, Part D sponsors, pharmacies, and those processing prescription drug claims have been caught using fraudulent tactics to deceive Medicare. These tactics include billing for phantom prescriptions, falsifying records to receive payments for non-covered drugs, billing for higher-priced branded drugs and substituting generic ones, and billing for additional ingredients not used when a compounder assembles a prescription drug. When the pharmaceutical industry commits fraud within Medicare, an attorney in Greenville could help with a lawsuit.
The False Claims Act has a long and storied history, beginning in 1863 when Congress adopted it out of concern that suppliers to the Union Army during the Civil War were inflating prices or failing to deliver goods billed to the government. When caught, the law required the suppliers to pay back double the damages the government incurred and a $2,000 penalty for each fraudulent claim. The U.S. Justice Department or private citizens under qui tam lawsuits can enforce the provisions of the FCA.
Citizens bring Qui tam proceedings to assist the government in prosecuting fraud. When successful, the citizens prosecuting them may be eligible for up to 30 percent of the amount the government is awarded. Speak with a Greenville whistleblower attorney familiar with the False Claims Act and the pharmaceutical industry when Medicare fraud or other fraud against the government is suspected.
Whistleblowers predominantly work for the company defrauding the government, and incriminating evidence is usually discovered because they have access to it. When you are in this scenario or someone who works for a company shares evidence with you, what you do next is vitally important.
Our attorneys have vast experience with federal law and how whistleblowers should proceed. We are adept at conducting qui tam proceedings and ensuring you are paid your percentage of the money recovered for the government. A Greenville pharmaceutical industry whistleblower lawyer is here to assist you. Reach out now to discuss your legal options.
