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Whistleblowing led to heavy fines for false claims

On Behalf of | Sep 18, 2018 | Whistleblowing |

Blowing the whistle on illegal or unsavory business practices at a person’s place of work is a risky endeavor. An individual might lose his or her job and face other serious forms of retaliation that can make it difficult to maintain meaningful employment in the future. However, whistleblowing in Wisconsin is not all downsides with no benefits. Not only does the False Claims Act give whistleblowers a small portion of any fines leveraged against companies, but victims of retaliation can also take legal action. 

The Centers Plan for Healthy Living LLC — an-out-of-state provider of skilled nurses — was involved in a scheme to receive compensation for services it never rendered. A whistleblower apparently alerted authorities to issues of ongoing fraud by The Centers Plan, and is set to receive a small portion of the company’s fines. It is not clear in what capacity the whistleblower was affiliated with the company. 

According to authorities, The Centers Plan submitted monthly claims for services that never actually took place. The claims centered around their managed ID members and the amount per claim varied, although some were apparently as high as $4,300. The company recently settled on a $1.65 million fine to be paid to both its state and the federal government. 

Those in Wisconsin who are brave enough to undertake the task of whistleblowing understand that they are putting a lot on the line. However, that does not mean they should simply accept wrongful termination or other signs of retaliation. These individuals can usually pursue workplace discrimination or wrongful termination suits against their current or former employers that, if successful, can provide related financial compensation. 

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