Health Attys Talk Cooperation in Gov't Fraud Investigations

Healthcare and litigation attorney Henry Leventis was quoted in a Law360 article recapping his session at the American Health Law Association's (AHLA) Annual Meeting & In-House Counsel Program, which focused on how to respond to government corporate criminal investigations in the healthcare industry. The panel featured a lead attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) Fraud Division alongside Mr. Leventis and another private practitioner, both of whom are former government prosecutors. The speakers reviewed the DOJ's ramp-up of fraud enforcement efforts targeting the health sector, from the creation of its National Fraud Enforcement Division and West Coast Health Case Fraud Strike Force to indictments against more than 450 defendants alleging Medicare and Medicaid fraud; they then shared what lawyers should know when guiding clients, including the importance of cooperating with government investigators. Mr. Leventis spoke with Law360 after the presentation, commenting he initially felt "skeptical" about the DOJ's ability to execute heightened enforcement amid downsizing across the administration but has since heard from multiple clients about investigative activity, indicating a decrease in personnel has not translated to a decrease in enforcement efforts in this arena.

"I actually have come around to believe they are dedicating more resources to healthcare fraud enforcement, and I'm starting to see it in my day-to-day practice," he remarked.

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