While using a government hotline may seem like the safest course of action for whistleblowers worried about retaliation, this may not actually be the case.

When whistleblowers use the government Medicaid fraud hotline to report fraud, there may be unexpected consequences or backlash.

Some whistleblowers who report Medicaid fraud via a government hotline may be retaliated against and may even lose their jobs when their employer finds out that they called out cases of fraud.

This backlash can be avoided if whistleblowers instead file a whistleblower lawsuit.

Benefits of Filing a Whistleblowers Lawsuit

Whistleblowers that choose the lawsuit route rather than calling a hotline may even be offered a much more substantial reward in exchange for their information.

The government Medicaid fraud hotline only offer up to $1,000 in reward money, but filing a False Claims Act lawsuit can more significantly compensate whistleblowers, as well as protect them from any potential backlash.

Many whistleblowers who call the government Medicare fraud hotline do so believing they will be compensated and, when they are not, seek to file a lawsuit instead. However, if whistleblowers have first called a hotline, they may then be unable to file a lawsuit.

Because the False Claims Act is complex and layered, it is essential that whistleblowers act under the advisement of a whistleblowers attorney. A whistleblowers attorney can help ensure that the False Claims Act lawsuit is dealt with properly, as well as protect the rights of the whistleblower.

Whistleblowers may be awarded between 15 percent and 30 percent of the recovery money received by the government through a False Claims Act lawsuit. This can be a truly substantial sum, especially when compared with the mere $1,000 or less paid through a Medicare fraud hotline.

Most cases of Medicare fraud or Medicaid fraud can lead to payouts of millions of dollars to the government, which means that whistleblowers leave a lawsuit with a large chunk of compensatory money.

According to former Attorney General Eric Holder, the Justice Department recovered nearly half a billion dollars in Medicare fraud money in 2012, meaning that whistleblowers collectively received millions.

Whistleblowers who file lawsuits also receive stronger protections than those who call a hotline, ensuring that their employer is unable to retaliate against them.

Potential whistleblowers who believe they have witnessed government fraud, including Medicaid fraud, should contact a whistleblower attorney rather than calling a hotline in order to protect themselves and receive better payment.

If you believe that your employer or former employer is participating in fraudulent or illegal behavior against the federal government, you may be able to file a whistleblower lawsuit (also known as a qui tam lawsuit) on behalf of the government, as well as collect a substantial reward.