The DOJ just released its annual compilation of False Claims Act (FCA) statistics. Overall, the DOJ recovered $3.8 billion during FY 2013 – an amount second only to last year’s record-breaking recovery of almost $5 billion. Neither of these figures reflects criminal fines and forfeitures or state recoveries for Medicaid fraud, which actually drive up the government’s total fraud recoveries by billions more. This past year also marks the fourth consecutive year that the DOJ has recovered an excess of $3 billion. Interestingly, these numbers do not include the $2.2 billion settlement with Johnson & Johnson announced in November for claims that J&J illegally promoted its drugs Risperdal, Invega, and Natrecor, as well as engaged in a widespread kickback scheme with physicians.
All in all, the FCA is clearly alive and well, and more and more cases get filed each year.
