In United States ex rel. Lovell v. AthenaHealth, First Circuit denied relator claims for over $1 million in attorneys’ fees in appeal involving two issues of first impression. AthenaHealth was a consolidated appeal involving two separate qui tam actions.
Recoveries in FY 2021 drastically increased compared to those in FY 2020. The US$5.6 billion in recoveries reported by the DOJ in its 1 February 2022 press release is more than double the US$2.2 billion recovered in FY 2020 and is the second-largest ever recorded.
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Boston, Massachusetts - A national electronic health records (EHR) technology vendor based in Watertown, Massachusetts, athenahealth Inc. (Athena), has agreed to pay $18.25 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by paying unlawful kickbacks to generate sales of its EHR product, athenaClinicals, the Justice Department announced Thursday.
In a complaint filed in conjunction with today’s settlement, the United States alleged that Athena violated the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute through three marketing programs. First, Athena invited prospective and existing customers to “Concierge Events,” providing free tickets to and amenities at sporting, entertainment, and recreational events, including trips to the Masters Tournament and the Kentucky Derby with complimentary travel and luxury accommodations, meals, and alcohol. Second, Athena paid kickbacks to its existing customers
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Electronic health record (EHR) company athenahealth will pay $18.25 million to settle charges that it paid illegal kickbacks to sell its products, the Department of Justice announced.
The DOJ alleged that athenahealth violated the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute in three marketing programs aimed at generating sales for its EHR product athenaClinicals.
First, the company invited prospective and existing customers to sporting and entertainment events like the Kentucky Derby and the Masters Tournament, doling out free travel and luxury accommodations, meals, and alcohol, the department said. The firm agreed to the settlement without admitting guilt. It is illegal for companies to extend invitations to all-expense-paid sporting, entertainment, and recreational events, and other perk-filled offers to its prospective customers to win business and boost their bottom line through illegal kickback schemes, said Joseph Bonavolonta, special agent in char
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January 29, 2021 The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Thursday that Athenahealth (Athena) will pay $18.25 million to resolve kickback allegations. The case was unsealed on the same day.
The U.S., on behalf of two separate sets of complainants, alleged that Athena violated the False Claims Act and federal Anti-Kickback Statute through its conduct in marketing programs for its electronic health records (EHR) technology. Geordie Sanborn was the complainant of the first suit, while Cheryl Lovell and William McKusick brought the other suit, with the U.S. becoming the plaintiff on behalf of the individuals through the False Claims Act’s (FCA) “whistleblower” provisions.