Thursday, July 17, 2008

False Claims Act reaches committee against providers' wishes

The False Claims Correction Act (H.R. 4854) Wednesday made its way to
the House Judiciary Committee for deliberation and a markup.



Nursing-home and long-term care advocates are opposed to this
legislation
(Duh!)because of the perceived burdens it would place on the
long-term care industry, according to a June letter sent to the House
by more than 20 healthcare advocates. Overpayments from Medicare or
Medicaid would be grounds for legal action under the new law. The bill
also would provide legal protection and financial reward to
whistleblowers in these instances. This could seriously disrupt many
government programs, advocates argue, as any payment records would have
to be meticulous to avoid potential lawsuits from those seeking to gain
from minor oversights.

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