Quest Diagnostics Settles False Claims for $1.79M; Whistleblower to Get $358K

Quest Diagnostics Inc. and Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories have agreed to pay $1.79 million to settle allegations that the companies knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to federal health care programs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California announced last week.

This settlement resolves allegations that Quest Diagnostics submitted duplicative claims to Medicare for certain venipuncture services and diagnostic tests and certain panel tests and select components of those panels. The United States alleged that these payments violated the False Claims Act.

The settlement announced today resolves a lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of California under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. These provisions allow private citizens to bring civil actions on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery. The whistleblower in this case will receive $358,000 of the recovery proceeds.

The Chanler Group, in association with the Hirst Law Group, represents whistleblowers who take action under the False Claims Act to report fraud committed against the federal and state governments.  We have years of experience representing whistleblower clients who expose every kind of fraud against the government, including health care fraud, contract fraud, and tax fraud.  Read more about our expertise in False Claims Act cases and how you can take action.