DOJ INTERVENES IN $129 MILLION MEDICARE FRAUD WHISTLEBLOWER SUIT FILED BY REID COLLINS ON BEHALF OF INTEGRA AGAINST NY-BASED SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES
Reid Collins filed a whistleblower lawsuit under seal on behalf of its client, Integra Med Analytics, LLC, pursuant to the False Claims Act against a major group of skilled nursing facilities in New York tied to Isaac Laufer. On June 3, 2021, the qui tam action, alleging a Medicare fraud exceeding $129 million, was made public as the U.S. Department of Justice took the rare step of intervening to prosecute the action. The case alleges that eleven New York-based skilled nursing facilities related to Isaac Laufer, his management company (Paragon Management SNF LLC), and a senior employee (Tami Whitney) fraudulently billing Medicare for unnecessary services for a decade.
The DOJ’s lawsuit carries forward claims developed by Integra through its extensive investigation and data analysis of the Medicare billing practices of these facilities. Integra’s investigation demonstrated that these defendants were engaged in significant Medicare fraud through the provision of unnecessary and unreasonable ultra-high rehab and wrongfully extending patient stays without regard for patients’ medical needs. Integra’s lawsuit brought claims against the Laufer-related entities for over $129 million in alleged Medicare fraud. Following its own investigation of Integra’s allegations, DOJ filed its own complaint-in-intervention alleging that the very schemes identified by Integra continued through 2019.
View the DOJ’s press release here.
Click here to view the Reid Collins/Integra press release.
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