| Submission declined on 31 July 2024 by SafariScribe (talk). This submission's references do not show that the subject qualifies for a Wikipedia article—that is, they do not show significant coverage (not just passing mentions) about the subject in published, reliable, secondary sources that are independent of the subject (see the guidelines on the notability of people). Before any resubmission, additional references meeting these criteria should be added (see technical help and learn about mistakes to avoid when addressing this issue). If no additional references exist, the subject is not suitable for Wikipedia. This submission does not appear to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. Entries should be written from a neutral point of view, and should refer to a range of independent, reliable, published sources. Please rewrite your submission in a more encyclopedic format. Please make sure to avoid peacock terms that promote the subject.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
|  |
Ven-A-Care of the Florida Keys is one of the most financially successful whistleblowers in the history of the United States.[1][2] The four-person team[1] specialized in being relators for qui tam suits in healthcare overbilling, producing more than $2.2B in revenue for the government and $380M for themselves and their legal team.[3] During a study conducted on whistleblowing efforts between November 2010 and July 2012, they accounted for almost half of the money from whistleblower-prompted federal and state settlements.[4]
Ven-A-Care is additionally unusual for being what are termed outside relators, or people who investigate companies they have no other formal relationship with in order to find and report wrongdoing.[1][3] As a consequence of this, they also have filed whistleblower suits against an unusually large number of unique defendants.
Early history and first case
editVen-A-Care was co-founded by Mark Jones and Luis Cobo[3] as a four-person[1] pharmacy in the 1987.[5] They specialized in to providing end-of-life care to HIV and cancer patients during the AIDS Crisis. This came primarily in the form of home infusions.[6]
In 1991 W. R. Grace and Company allegedly approached Ven-A-Care about partnering to open a new AIDS clinic, termed National Medical Care Inc. In lawsuits, Ven-A-Care alleged that National Medical Care Inc intended to choose the drugs that would make the clinic the most money, rather than selecting the drugs for medical reasons.[6]
The new clinic significantly negatively impacted Ven-A-Care's operations, and eventually lead to their first qui tam lawsuit in 1994.[6] The ensuing $500M settlement in 2000 against National Medical Care Inc broke Department of Justice records and included a $100M criminal penalty.[7]
Additional anti-fraud litigation work
editMuch of Ven-A-Care's litigation was based on alleged manipulation of the calculation of average wholesale price for Medicare and Medicare billing.[8]
In 2001, a Ven-A-Care case with Bayer reached a settlement.[9]
In 2005, a Ven-A-Care case with GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals settled.[10]
In 2007, a Ven-A-Care case reached a settlement with Bristol Myers Squibb and its subsidiary Apothecon.[11] Another case, with Aventis Pharma also settled.[12][13]
In 2009, Ven-A-Care's cases with four pharmaceutical companies (Mylan, AstraZeneca, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, and UDL Laboratories) settled over a Medicaid Drug Rebate Program suit.[14] A case against Schering-Plough also settled that year,[15][16] as did an additional one with Teva Pharmaceuticals.[17]
In 2010, they secured settlements against Abbott Laboratories[3] B. Braun and Roxane Labs,[18][19] and the Dey family of companies.[5][20]
In 2011, after 18 cases handled by settlement, a Ven-A-Care secured its first trial victory over Actavis.[3] The verdict was appealed, and the eventual settlement was for far less.[21] A separate case against Par Pharmaceutical also settled.[22][2] Two additional cases against Watson Pharmaceuticals and a unit of Novartis also settled.[23]
In 2013, Ven-A-Care settled a price manipulation case against Pfizer.[24]
In 2017, Ven-A-Care settled a second case against Mylan,[25] this time with former defendant Sanofi (via Avantis) as a co-relator.[26]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Javers, Eamon (February 10, 2011). "How Four Men Got Rich Exposing Pharma Fraud". CNBC.
- ^ a b Rockwell, Lilly (November 5, 2012). "Medicaid Fraud Fighters". Florida Trend.
- ^ a b c d e Zajac, Andrew (February 2, 2011). "Whistle-blower Ven-A-Care wins in Texas case against drug company". LA Times.
- ^ "State Settlements With Drug Companies Over Medicaid Fraud Are at Record Highs; Many States Recover More Than They Spent on Enforcement". Public Citizen. September 27, 2012.
- ^ a b "Ven-A-Care Whistleblowers Strike Again, Recover $280 million from Dey Pharma". Greene LLP. December 20, 2010.
- ^ a b c Voreacos, David (August 13, 2013). "Fla. pharmacists win $597M blowing whistle on Medicare scheme". Bloomberg News.
- ^ Vise, David; Lorraine, Adams (January 19, 2000). "Firm Settles Health Care Fraud Case for $500 Million". Washington Post.
- ^ Hergott, Daniel (June 29, 2015). "How a Pharmacist Becomes A Qui Tam Whistleblower". Behn & Wyetzne Chartered.
- ^ "Bayer to pay $14 million to settle claims for causing providers to submit fraudulent claims to 45 state medicaid programs". US Department of Justice. January 23, 2001.
- ^ "Glaxosmithkline pays $150 million to settle drug pricing fraud case". US Department of Justice.
- ^ "Bristol-Myers Squibb to Pay More Than $515 Million to Resolve Allegations of Illegal Drug Marketing and Pricing". US Department of Justice. September 28, 2007.
- ^ "Aventis Pays More Than $190 Million to Settle Drug Pricing Fraud Matters". US Department of Justice. September 10, 2007.
- ^ "Sanofi settles Anzemet drug-pricing fraud case in the USA". PharmaTimes. September 11, 2007.
- ^ "Four Pharmaceutical Companies Pay $124 Million for Submission of False Claims to Medicaid". Office of Public Affairs US Department of Justice. October 19, 2009.
- ^ "U.S., Calif. and Florida recover $69 million from Schering-Plough". Phillips and Cohen. December 22, 2009.
- ^ "Brown Settles $21.3 Million Medi-Cal Fraud Suit with Pharmaceutical Giant Schering-Plough". State of California Department of Justice Office of the Attorney General. December 17, 2009.
- ^ Bouley, Jeffrey (February 4, 2010). "Teva announces 'settlement in principle' regarding drug pricing lawsuits". Drug Discovery News.
- ^ "Pharmaceutical Manufacturers to Pay $421.2 Million to Settle False Claims Act Cases". Office of Public Affairs US Department of Justice. December 7, 2010.
- ^ "Three Major Drug Firms Pay $421 Million in Settlement with Justice Department". ABC News.
- ^ "Pharmaceutical Manufacturer to Pay $280 Million to Settle False Claims Act Case". Office of Public Affairs US Department of Justice. December 20, 2010.
- ^ "Actavis settles Medicaid fraud case for $84 million". Reuters. December 28, 2011.
- ^ "Par Pharmaceutical Companies Announces Settlement in Principle Regarding Certain Drug Pricing Lawsuits". PR Newswire. April 27, 2011.
- ^ Voreacos, David; Rosenblatt, Joel; Bennett, Simeon (September 15, 2011). "Watson, Sandoz Pay $145 Million to Settle Drug-Price Case". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on March 20, 2015.
- ^ Aaronson, Becca (January 4, 2013). "Texas Getting $36 Million in Settlement Over Medicaid Fraud Cases". Texas Tribune.
- ^ Sullivan, Michael (August 18, 2017). "$465 Million Settlement in Our Client's Qui Tam Whistleblower Case Over Pharmaceutical Manufacturer's Underpaying Medicaid Rebates for New EpiPen Products". Finch McCranie, LLP.
- ^ "Settlement Agreement". Securities and Exchange Commission. August 16, 2017.