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Press Release

United States Settles Health Care Fraud Action Involving Allegations that Hospice Care Provider Paid for Referrals

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan

Vitas Health Corporation Midwest and related entities agreed to pay $200,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute by paying Dr. Farid Fata for patient referrals to its hospice care services, announced U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade. In an earlier unrelated criminal matter, Fata pleaded guilty to health care fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks and promotional money laundering, and was sentenced to a term of 45 years in prison.

The allegations in the civil False Claims Act suit were brought to the government by a whistleblower, known as a relator, under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. From November 2012 to January 2014, relator Rita Dubois worked at Vitas as the Director of Market Development in Southeastern Michigan. Dubois’s complaint alleged that from mid-2012 through early 2014, Vitas contributed $15,750 to the Swan For Life Cancer Foundation, which was a cancer charity that Fata established. In return, Fata referred 23 patients to Vitas for hospice care, the complaint alleges. Dubois will receive $36,000 out of the $200,000 settlement for her role in filing the qui tam action.

“Patients deserve to receive referrals based on the quality of the services provided, not based on illegal kickback arrangements between medical providers,” McQuade said. “We are working to root out practices that enrich doctors and medical businesses at the expense and potential safety of patients.”

This case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.

Updated December 2, 2016

Topic
Health Care Fraud