Compliance News Roundup: Why Your Organization Needs to Spend Money to Save Billions

1. UCLA Members Allegedly Violated Kanye West’s Privacy - TMZ reports that officials at the UCLA Medical Center are in the process of firing several employees who allegedly violated the privacy of Kanye West, who spent more than a week in the hospital last month following a reported bout of “temporary psychosis." Read more here: http://www.spin.com/2016/12/firings-reportedly-expected-at-ucla-med-center-following-kanye-wests-stay/

2. Arizona Doctor, Pharmacy Owner, and Marketing Pros Accused of $102 Million Kickback Scheme - PHOENIX — A dozen doctors, pharmacy owners and marketing pros have been accused of a kickback scheme that prosecutors allege involved a sham medical study used to bulk up to $102 million from the publicly funded federal health program for military family members.

The doctors included Walter Neil Simmons, 47, of Gilbert, Ariz., emergency medicine doctor who has worked at two metro Phoenix hospital chains. He was indicted in October in U.S. District Court in Dallas on one count of conspiracy to commit health-care fraud. The federal charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Read more here: http://www.wtsp.com/news/health/doctors-pharmacists-indicted-in-100m-fraud-case/381204921

3. Deeper Than The Headlines: DOJ Recovered $2.5 Billion Through the False Claims Act - Why Your Organization Needs to Spend Money to Save Billions.

In fiscal year 2016, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recovered $2.5 Billion through the False Claims Act from the healthcare industry. This is the amount that can be directly measured. DOJ stated in their announcement of this recovery amount that “just as important, the Department’s vigorous pursuit of healthcare fraud prevents billions more in losses by deterring others who might otherwise try to cheat the system for their own gain.” Sometimes, this is referred to as the “ripple effect,” meaning a few big recoveries/enforcements, ripple outward, affecting even those organizations that don’t experience a formal enforcement action. Read more here: Deeper Than the Headlines: Why Your Organization Needs to Spend Money to Save Billions