VENICE, Fla. — A Florida healthcare company has agreed to pay up to $4.9 million to resolve allegations of violating the Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
LiveCare Inc., based in Venice, provides remote patient monitoring (RPM) services to patients with Type 2 diabetes. The company is said to have unlawfully paid a marketing service for referrals of Medicare beneficiaries.
“Violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute undermine the integrity of our healthcare system,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida will hold providers participating in the federal health care system accountable for these violations in order to preserve program funds and ensure the provision of appropriate services to patients.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Ricardo M. Carcas of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) added, “Kickback schemes waste valuable Medicare funds and undermine the integrity of medical decision-making. Our agency will continue to thoroughly investigate health care fraud, including the emerging area of allegations related to remote patient monitoring.”
The settlement resolves claims brought under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private individuals to file lawsuits on behalf of the United States and potentially receive a portion of any financial recovery.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Keefe handling the matter.
The allegations against LiveCare Inc. are civil claims, and no determination of liability has been made.
