U.S. ex rel. Singh v. Bradford Regional Med. Ctr. –Aug. 2013 (Summary)

FALSE CLAIMS ACT

U.S. ex rel. Singh v. Bradford Regional Med. Ctr.
No. 04-186 Erie (W.D. Pa. Aug. 22, 2013)

The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania dismissed the United States’ claims of payment by mistake and unjust enrichment against a physician group which was involved in an equipment sublease with a hospital.  The government based its claims on allegations that the sublease violated the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute.

The court granted the physician group’s motion to dismiss, “because the United States has failed to allege or show that the [physician group] received any direct or [in]direct mistaken payments from the government.”  Since this alone was grounds for dismissal, the court did not reach the physician group’s contention that the government’s claims were barred by the statute of limitations.  However, the court did give the government an opportunity to amend its complaint.