A synopsis of an article published in the September 2, 2008 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine:
“Federal regulators have aggressively prosecuted health care fraud since the early 1990s, leading to billions of dollars in financial recoveries. Nearly all major cases today are qui tam actions, involving whistleblowers with inside knowledge of the allegedly illegal schemes. This article documents the outcomes of major enforcement actions and describe the schemes, defendants, and whistleblowers involved…. Among 379 cases, $9.3 billion was recovered, with more than $1.0 billion paid to whistleblowers…. Whistleblowers were frequently executives or physicians, and 75% were employees of defendant organizations… . This study illuminates the scope and characteristics of qui tam fraud litigation and the whistleblowers who animate this important tool for addressing waste in the health care sector.”