Judge terminates whistleblower’s lawsuit against Chapters Health System

A federal judge ruled that a former employee of Tampa, Fla.-based LifePath failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove the company violated the False Claims Act.

According to court documents, Nancy Chase claimed LifePath and its parent company, Chapters Health System, falsely enrolled patients in hospice services  they were not eligible for and billed Medicare for care it did not provide. Ms. Chase alleged the company conspired with and paid other healthcare providers kickbacks to provide hospice referrals for ineligible patients.

Ms. Chase claimed she was demoted and eventually fired in 2012 after voicing concerns about the company's practices. She filed a lawsuit against the health system in 2010 under the qui tam  provision of the False Claims Act.

U.S. District Court judge for the middle district of Florida James Moody ruled Ms. Chase failed to identify a connection between the alleged abuses and any specific claims submitted by the health system to Medicare. He proceeded to dismiss the lawsuit.

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