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Editor: Mike Bothwell
Profession: Qui Tam Attorney

Category: Qui Tam Legal News

Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson announced May 8, 2006 that the OIG of the Department of Health and Human Services is targeting Alvarado Hospital Medical Center (a Tenet hospital). The OIG has formally signaled that it intends to exclude the hospital from participation in all federal healthcare programs.

HHS has had a running battle with Tenet and particularly with this hospital. The hospital was indicted on felony kickback charges in the Southern District of California. Twice the U.S. Attorney for the district has tried Tenet and twice has received a hung jury. Not needing a criminal conviction to proceed administratively, the OIG is pressing forward with debarment.

There are qui tam and False Claims Act practitioners who would have people believe that there is no wrongdoing in the world of healthcare. I do not recall in my lifetime any hospital being excluded from federal programs. This would be the second in the last year. It is time to wake up and realize that fraud, waste and abuse of government programs and government monies should not be tolerated. I cannot help but believe that FCA whistleblowers' attention in this area has brought the government about and not the other way around.