DOJ's FCA Recoveries Hit a 7 Year High

In fiscal year 2021, DOJ's False Claims Act recoveries hit their highest level in seven years--$5.6 billion. Of that total, nearly $1.6 billion came from qui tam lawsuits with relators taking home over $237 million. Yet again, the health care industry bore the brunt of these recoveries--nearly $5 billion. A new area of focus this year was Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare Part C), which many health care providers erroneously believe are not subject to the FCA or other federal anti-health care fraud laws. The flood of relators and FCA cases does not appear likely to stop under this administration--an average of 11 qui tam actions were filed every week last fiscal year.