If you have witnessed fraud against the government, including Medicare fraud, you may be able to become a whistleblower and bring this problem to the attention of the federal government by filing a qui tam lawsuit under the False Claims Act.

Filing a qui tam lawsuit on behalf of the government can lead to substantial Medicare whistleblower rewards, as well as bring the company abusing the system to justice.

What Happens After I Blow the Whistle?

Initially in a qui tam lawsuit, the lawsuit is filed “under seal,” which means that only the whistleblower and the government know about it. At that point, it’s in the government’s hands.

The Department of Justice (along with the local District Attorney) has 60 days to investigate the matter and determine whether or not they want to intervene. The government also has the option to request an extension on this time period, and in most cases, it does.

Eventually, the government decides if it will intervene. If it does, then it fully takes over the qui tam case. If the lawsuit is either won or settled by the government, the whistleblower may receive 15 to 25 percent of the award that the government is granted.

What if the Government Does Not Intervene in My Lawsuit?

If the government chooses not to intervene in a whistleblower lawsuit, the whistleblower can choose to pursue the lawsuit by themselves, still on behalf of the government. If the whistleblower wins in this instance, they may be granted an award of up to 30 percent of what the government receives.

Are There Protections If I File a Whistleblower Lawsuit?

Under the False Claims Act, as well as state laws and the IRS and SEC statutes, there are anti-retaliation laws in place to protect whistleblowers against any negative reactions by their employer or another company. Forms of retaliation include being fired, demoted, or harassed.

Those found to have been retaliated against based on their status as a whistleblower can be reinstated, as well as rewarded substantial damages for the retaliation they suffered—on top of any reward they may receive from the qui tam lawsuit itself, under the Whistleblower Protection Act.

Can I Pursue Whistleblower Rewards?

If you have witnessed some kind of Medicare fraud, such as a hospital or home health care company upcoding, double billing, or billing for services that were unnecessary or never provided, you may be able to pursue Medicare whistleblower rewards by filing a lawsuit on behalf of the federal government.

In return for bringing the Medicare fraud to the government’s attention, whistleblowers are awarded a substantial portion of the settlement—generally between 15 and 30 percent. Whistleblowers may be paid tens of thousands or even tens of millions of dollars for their part in filing a qui tam lawsuit.

Filing a whistleblower lawsuit can feel daunting on your own, so Top Class Actions has done the work of connecting you with an experienced qui tam attorney. An attorney can help you determine if you have a case, navigate the complexities of litigation, make sure you’re properly protected against any possible retaliation, and maximize the compensation of your Medicare whistleblower rewards.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.