Welcome to Original Source: The Sidley Austin False Claims Act Blog

The False Claims Act (FCA) has long been a key enforcement tool for the federal government in matters involving government contracts or other expenditures of government funds. FCA enforcement has traditionally focused primarily on two industries receiving a substantial amount of government funds: healthcare and defense and other government contractors. Recently, however, FCA enforcement has expanded to other industries, including financial services. Through the False Claims Act Blog, lawyers in Sidley’s White Collar, Healthcare, FDA, Government Contracting, Financial Services, Appellate, and other practices will provide timely updates on new and interesting developments relating to FCA enforcement and litigation.

District Court Issues Rare Rebuke Denying DOJ’s Belated Motion to Intervene

Mar 02 2021
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A federal district court recently issued a rare order denying the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) motion to intervene in a qui tam suit after the government’s initial declination months earlier.  See United States ex rel. Odom v. Southeast Eye Specialists, PLLC, 3:17-cv-00689 (M.D. Tenn. Feb. 24, 2021).  The False Claims Act allows the government to intervene in a case in which it previously declined to intervene upon “a showing of good cause.”  Although DOJ does so not frequently seek to intervene after previously declining to do so, courts are generally deferential to the government’s shift in position.  This decision provides important precedent for defendants in the position of arguing that a late intervention by DOJ is not appropriate.

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DOJ and HHS-OIG Dish on Defensive Strategies and Case Coordination

Feb 23 2021
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During the Federal Bar Association’s 2021 Qui Tam Conference, two senior government lawyers—Neeli Ben-David, the Civil Division Deputy Chief and Health Care Fraud Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and Karen Glassman, Senior Counsel at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”)—provided insights into how defendants can position themselves for successful engagement with the government and how DOJ and HHS-OIG coordinate behind the scenes to investigate and resolve FCA cases.

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“Come Down with a Sledgehammer”: Sen. Grassley and Acting Civil Division Head Boynton Discuss FCA Priorities

Feb 18 2021
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Yesterday, Senator Grassley, the architect of the 1986 False Claims Act amendments, and Brian Boynton, the Acting Assistant Attorney General of DOJ’s Civil Division, delivered the opening remarks at the Federal Bar Association’s 2021 Qui Tam Conference, previewing Senator Grassley’s priority legislative changes to the FCA and DOJ’s enforcement priorities under the Biden administration.

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Courts Continue to Diverge on How Post-Complaint Government Conduct Affects Materiality Analysis Under Escobar

Feb 16 2021
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Two recent decisions by district courts in the Third Circuit illustrate the continued divide among courts regarding the extent to which the government’s declination decision bears on the materiality analysis set forth in Escobar and also underscore the challenges defendants can face in defeating materiality at the motion to dismiss stage.

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DOJ Releases Detailed Statistics on FCA Recoveries Through FY 2020

Jan 14 2021
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On January 14, 2021, Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that the Civil Division recovered over $2.2 billion in settlements and judgments under the False Claims Act (FCA) for fiscal year 2020. This represents a more than $850 million decrease from last year’s figure and a $3.9 billion decrease from the all-time recovery record in 2014. Detailed statistics on FCA cases from 1986 through FY 2020 are available here.

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HHS Announces FCA Working Group

Dec 04 2020
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Today, December 4, HHS announced a False Claims Act Working Group:

HHS Announces False Claims Act Working Group to Enhance Efforts to Combat Fraud and Focus Resources on Bad Actors

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the creation of a False Claims Act Working Group (Working Group) that enhances its partnership with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) to combat fraud and abuse by identifying and focusing resources on those who seek to defraud the American taxpayers. HHS regulates over a third of the United States economy. In 2020, HHS provided over $1.5 trillion in grants and other payments to public and private recipients, including for healthcare items and services. In addition, HHS is one of the largest government contractors, paying over $170 billion in 2020 to thousands of contractors. In combating COVID-19, HHS has administered unprecedented levels of taxpayer support for private individuals and organizations.

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