LifeWatch Services Inc., a company that provides cardiac rhythm monitoring services, has agreed to pay $18.5 million to resolve allegations that the company used false diagnostic codes in order to bill Medicare for patients otherwise ineligible for reimbursement.  LifeWatch also allegedly provided kickbacks to hospitals in the form of full time employees at no cost to the hospitals, as an inducement to enroll patients in its monitoring services.

The settlement resolves two qui tam cases brought by former LifeWatch sales representatives.  The whistleblowers will receive a $3.4 million share of the recovery as a result of their efforts bringing the alleged fraud to light.

Read the entire press release, “United States Settles False Claims Act Allegations Against Illinois-Based Lifewatch Services”