Tennessee Company Faces False Claims Act Lawsuit
This coming from The City Paper, a former Tennessee executive for Iasis Healthcare, one of Tennessee’s largest health care companies, has blown the whistle in a False Claims lawsuit.
Jerre Frazier worked for Iasis in Franklin, Tennessee for four years, becoming vice president for ethics and compliance and as its chief compliance officer. During this time, Frazier discovered that many of the top Iasis executives had previously worked for Nashville-headquartered HCA, a for-profit hospital chain which itself was guilty of defrauding the government through Medicare fraud totaling $1.7 billion (yes, a b as in bullion and in boy that’s a lot of money).
The allegations in the present False Claims lawsuit against Iasis Healthcare is that these executives from HCA brought their dirty business with them. Specifically, the False Claims charges are that Iasis compensated doctors for their referrals and for performing unnecessary medical services that were charged to Medicare. In return, doctors received discounted rent for office and lab space from Iasis.
Iasis owns 15 hospitals, none located in Tennessee, along with other medical facilities. If the court sides in his favor, Frazier will be awarded 15-30% of the government’s total recoveries (remember that b-illion number above) for blowing the whistle on Iasis and helping the federal government reclaim its stolen Medicare funds. The percentage depends on if the Department of Justice will pursue this matter or turn it over to private qui tam attorneys.
Author Bio
Jim Higgins, founder of the Higgins Firm, is a seasoned personal injury attorney with deep roots in Nashville, Tennessee. A 4th generation Nashvillian, Jim carries on the legal legacy of his father, a judge for over 30 years. After graduating from the University of Memphis School of Law, Jim’s career began on the other side of the courtroom, defending insurance companies and learning their tactics for minimizing settlements. However, he soon realized his true calling was fighting for the rights of the injured, and for the past several years, he has exclusively represented plaintiffs in personal injury cases.
Since then, his dedication and skill have earned him membership in the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization limited to attorneys who have secured million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for their clients. Licensed to practice in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia, Jim focuses on personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, and workers’ compensation cases. His exceptional work has been recognized by his peers, earning him a spot on the Super Lawyers list from 2021 to 2024, a distinction awarded to only a select group of accomplished attorneys in each state.
