The False Claims Act imposes treble damages and penalties on those who knowingly and falsely claim money from the United States or knowingly fail to pay money owed to the United States. The False Claims Act thus safeguards government programs and operations that provide access to medical care, support our military and first responders, protect American businesses and workers, help build and repair infrastructure, offer disaster and other emergency relief, and provide many other critical services and benefits.
In 1986, Congress strengthened the False Claims Act by increasing incentives for whistleblowers to file lawsuits alleging false claims on behalf of the government. These whistleblowers, or qui tam, actions comprise a significant percentage of the False Claims Act cases that are filed. Qui tam cases may be pursued by the government or the whistleblower, and this past year, significant recoveries were obtained by both. When a qui tam action is successful, the whistleblower, also known as the relator, typically receives a portion of the recovery ranging between 15% and 30%. The 979 qui tam suits filed in fiscal year 2024 breaks the prior record set in 2013, and this past year, the Justice Department reported settlements and judgments exceeding $2.4 billion in these and earlier-filed qui tam suits.
Settlements and judgments under the False Claims Act exceeded $2.9 billion in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024. The government and whistleblowers were party to 558 settlements and judgments, the second highest total after last year’s record of 566 recoveries. Settlements and judgments since 1986, when Congress substantially strengthened the civil False Claims Act, now total more than $78 billion.
Of the more than $2.9 billion in False Claims Act settlements and judgments reported by the Justice Department this past fiscal year, over $1.67 billion related to matters that involved the health care industry, including managed care providers, hospitals and other medical facilities, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, laboratories, and physicians. The amounts included in the $1.67 billion reflect recoveries arising only from federal losses, but in many of these cases, the Department was instrumental in recovering additional amounts for state Medicaid programs.
In fiscal year 2024, health care fraud remained a leading source of False Claims Act settlements and judgments. These recoveries restore funds to federal programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE, the health care program for service members and their families. But just as important, in many cases, enforcement of the False Claims Act also protects patients from medically unnecessary or potentially harmful actions. As in years past, the act was used to pursue matters involving a wide array of health care providers, goods, and services.
If you have information regarding false claims having been submitted to Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, other federal health care programs, or to other federal agencies/programs, and the information is not publicly known and no actions have been taken by the government with regard to recovering the false claims, you should promptly consult with a False Claims Act attorney (also known as qui tam attorneys) in your U.S. state who may investigate the basis of your False Claims Act allegations and who may also assist you in bringing a qui tam lawsuit on behalf of the United States, if appropriate, for which you may be entitled to receive a portion of the recovery received by the U.S. government.
Visit our website or call us toll-free in the United States at 800-295-3959 to be connected with qui tam lawyers (False Claims Act lawyers) in your U.S. state who may assist you with a False Claims Act lawsuit.
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