The False Claims Act
The False Claims Act has proven to be one of the most effective tools in fighting Medicare and Medicaid fraud, defense contractor fraud and other types of fraud perpetrated against the federal government.
The qui tam provisions, which allow whistleblowers to file False Claims Act lawsuits against companies and individuals that defraud the government, have been key to the False Claims Act’s success. The government has recovered more than $8.4 billion as a result of qui tam lawsuits since the False Claims Act was amended in 1986. Whistleblowers’ rewards total more than $1.4 billion.
Qui tam cases brought on behalf of whistleblowers by attorneys at Phillips & Cohen have resulted in civil and criminal recoveries totaling more than $2 billion.
Phillips & Cohen also handles qui tam cases brought under state laws against companies and individuals defrauding state and local government agencies. Twenty-four states - Arkansas, California, Delaware , Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin – as well as the District of Columbia have their own versions of the False Claims Act. In those places, whistleblowers can recover money against defendants who commit fraud against state and local governments.
