Buried in the budget legislation recently signed into law by President Obama is a provision that will increase FCA civil penalties significantly. The FCA’s civil penalties were last increased by 10%, to their current levels of $5,500-$11,000, in 1999. However, the budget law requires DOJ to issue new regulations by July 1, 2016 to increase those penalties. The law also requires that the penalties be automatically adjusted each year thereafter

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