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.
In its 2021 USA Guide to leading law firms and lawyers, Chambers and Partners has recognized four Reid Collins partners as among the top litigators in the nation: P. Jason Collins, Eric D. Madden, William T. “Bill” Reid IV, and Lisa S. Tsai. The leaders of “a great team of impressive litigators,” Collins, Madden, Reid and Tsai have built one of the nation’s top litigation boutiques in just a few years – “a particularly strong choice to litigate complex fraud claims and bankruptcy litigation.” Among other highlights in their Chambers’ profiles: Collins is noted as a “very good communicator….[who} does an excellent job handing business and financial litigation;” Madden “handles a wide array of commercial disputes…he is outstanding…results-driven and very creative;” Reid is described as “a terrific lawyer with a wealth of experience in civil and criminal litigation and particular expertise in insolvency matters; and Tsai is praised for her broad-based commercial litigation practice – “a very smart, effective and successful litigator with a proven track record.”
Click here to view Chambers’ full 2021 profiles of the firm’s leading lawyers.
In its 2021 USA Guide to leading law firms and lawyers, Chambers and Partners has once again recognized Reid Collins as one of the top litigation firms in the nation. Ranked as Band 1 (Chambers’ highest honor) in Texas (Austin and Dallas) for general commercial litigation, Reid Collins is known as a “preeminent litigation boutique respected for its impressive track record in trials…[and that] regularly handles high-stakes disputes across the USA in addition to Texas…[A] great team of litigators who work on big-ticket cases.”
Click here to view Chambers’ full 2021 profile for Reid Collins.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.