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Category: Scienter

Enforcement / Procedure / Relators / Scienter

10 Aug, 2023

Supreme Court’s Recent Decision on FCA’s Scienter Standard Potentially Raises Threshold for Government to Establish “Reckless Disregard”

On June 1, 2023, a unanimous Supreme Court decision sought to clarify the meaning of “scienter” in the FCA context, which deals with the defendant’s knowledge (or lack thereof) that a claim for payment was false and intent to submit the false claim.  See United States ex rel. Schutte v. SuperValu Inc., 143 S. Ct. 1391 (2023) (“SuperValu”).  There, the Court ruled that “[f]or scienter,...

False Statement / Healthcare / Scienter

9 Mar, 2021

Supreme Court Declines to Resolve Circuit Split Regarding Standard for “Falsity” in FCA Claims

On February 22, 2021, the United States Supreme Court declined to resolve a circuit split regarding the proper standard under which False Claims Act (“FCA”) claims in the medical context should be reviewed. See Care Alternatives v. United States, No. 20-371, 2021 U.S. LEXIS 915 (Feb. 22, 2021). The Court’s decision leaves open the question of what constitutes “falsity” under the FCA and opens the...

Retaliation Claims / Scienter

11 Jan, 2021

In the First FCA Appellate Case of 2021, the Fourth Circuit Affirms the Dismissal of Relators’ Claims for Lack of Scienter and Failing to Engage in Protected Activity

On January 8, 2021, in the first appellate decision of the year addressing a False Claims Act case, the Fourth Circuit affirmed the summary judgment dismissal of relators’ claims that a manufacturer of allergenic extracts violated the FCA.  Skibo v. Greer Labs., 2021 U.S. App. LEXIS 508 (Jan. 8, 2021) (per curiam). Like most FCA cases that arrive in the United States Courts of Appeals,...

False Statement / Scienter

18 Nov, 2015

District Court Rejects FCA Claim Against Healthcare Provider That Submitted False Claims But Did So Without Necessary Mental State

Healthcare provider Fresenius Medical Care North America claimed victory in a False Claims Act (“FCA”) lawsuit recently when a federal district court ruled that there was no evidence that its practice of billing for “overfill” medications was anything more than negligent, and therefore did not satisfy the knowledge requirement of the FCA. On October 30, 2015, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of...

False Statement / Scienter

22 Sep, 2015

Southern District of New York Opinion Provides Guidance on Satisfying Scienter Requirement Under False Claims Act

Not every mistake or negligent act gives rise to liability under the False Claims Act. That principle has long been central to the FCA. But the dividing line–  between making a mistake, on the one hand, and “knowingly” or “recklessly” submitting a false claim, on the other–can be murky. In United States ex Rel Kirk v. Schindler Elevator Corp., No. 05-cv-2917, 2015 WL 5296714 (S.D.N.Y....

Advice of Counsel / Scienter / Stark Law

23 Jul, 2015

Fourth Circuit Affirms $237 Million Jury Verdict for Stark and FCA Violations; Rejects Advice-of-Counsel Defense

On July 2, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a jury verdict of more than $237 million against Tuomey Healthcare System, a nonprofit hospital in South Carolina, based on Stark Law and False Claims Act violations.  United States ex rel. Drakeford v. Tuomey Healthcare System, No. 13-2219 (4th Cir. July 2, 2015).  The Government’s claims in the case were based on...