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How To File A Whistleblower Complaint This is how to file a whistleblower complaint. It involves five steps: Identify what kind of violation you are reporting. For example, a whistleblower might report fraud, a safety violation, or patient neglect. Determine whether your report should be made in the form of a lawsuit (such as a

Can a whistleblower remain anonymous? It depends on how the report is made. In the United States, a whistleblower who files a case under the False Claims Act remains anonymous until the case is unsealed, which often takes years. Some cases remain permanently under seal, in which case the whistblower’s identity is never publicly revealed.

What is a Qui Tam lawsuit? A Qui Tam lawsuit is a legal action filed by a private person against a defendant who defrauded the government out of money and violated the False Claims Act. A Qui Tam lawsuit has several unique features: it is filed on behalf of the government (not by the government

Do I get paid for reporting fraud? Yes, when you you file a case under the False Claims Act that enables the government to discover the fraud and recover federal money, you get paid. Payment for reporting fraud is one of the main incentives the government offers to encourage people not to remain silent. In

What Is Upcoding? “Upcoding” is a type of Medicare fraud. Physicians and hospitals use CPT codes to bill Medicare for procedures and services they perform. When hospitals “upcode” a procedure, they bill Medicare using a CPT code meant for a longer or more complex procedure than the one they actually performed. Upcoding is illegal and

Can I report my employer for fraudulent billing? Yes. A whistleblower can report their employer for fraudulent billing, especially when it involves government money (such as when a hospital accepts Medicare). In those circumstances, federal law protects whistleblowers from retaliation and offers them financial rewards to report fraudulent billing. Filing a qui tam case through

Do Whistleblowers Have To Report To HR? No. In the United States, whistleblowers are not required to report to HR. Under federal law, whistleblowers can contact their own attorney before filing an internal report of fraud or misconduct. Federal law protects whistleblowers from retaliation and offers incentives to report through an attorney. Internal reports and

What is a Whistleblower Attorney? A whistleblower attorney represents someone who alleges that a defendant has broken the law and harmed the public, often through fraud. In the United States, whistleblower attorneys can file “qui tam” suits under federal statutes (such as the False Claims Act). The suit remains a secret until the government has

Is Medicare fraud a felony? Medicare fraud is a crime in which a person or company uses Medicare patients to defraud the Government. A crime is a felony in which the person convicted can be sentenced to more than one year in prison. Medicare fraud is a felony under the False Claims Act and can

The California Whistleblower Lawyer Has A New Protection For Whistleblowers The California whistleblower lawyer has long been at the forefront of protecting employees and whistleblowers against retaliation, and a new whistleblower law, SB 497, reinforces this commitment. The law gives a California whistleblower lawyer a more powerful method to combat retaliation. Signed into law by