A hospice operating in Phoenix, Arizona, Serenity Hospice and Palliative Care, has agreed to pay $2.2 million to resolve civil allegations that the company violated the federal False Claims Act by submitting false bills to Medicare for hospice services.
The False Claims Act (FCA), 31 U.S.C. § 3729 et seq., provides liability for triple damages and a penalty ranging from $5,500 to $11,000 per claim for anyone who knowingly submits or causes the submission of a false or fraudulent claim to the United States.
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual has multiple interests, one of which could motivate the individual to act in a manner that negatively impacts the other interest. A conflict of interest is not always easy to identify and can be created unintentionally.
Compliagent
