The healthcare reform law passed by Congress last month has yet another surprise for corporate legal and compliance departments: It allows yet more whistleblower lawsuits to be filed against corporations under the False Claims Act.
Formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the healthcare law sharply narrows the definition of “publicly disclosed information” under the FCA. That, in turn, expands the range of complaints whistleblowers can bring under the FCA and thwarts companies’ ability to get such claims dismissed, legal experts say.
