Qui Tam Defined
The term "Qui Tam" originated in medieval England
and its meaning comes from the Latin, "who sues on behalf of the
King as well as for himself." It became a part of United States
jurisprudence during the Civil War when President Lincoln moved to
stanch the epidemic of defective military supplies being sold to
the Union. For approximately 140 years after the adoption of the
False Claims Act (originally called the Lincoln Law) and its
Qui Tam provisions, the U.S. Department of
Defense contributed the lion's share of cases and rewards to
whistleblowers, much of which was attributable to the nation's
military build-up in the 1980's.
In 1986, when the law was amended to increase rewards for
whistleblowers and provide additional protections for those who
stepped forward to report fraud, healthcare began its ascent
towards becoming the predominate industry giving rise to Qui Tam
lawsuits alleging violations of the False Claims Act. By the 1990's,
healthcare supplanted defense as the predominant government
expenditure giving rise to Qui Tam litigation.
By 2020, it is estimated by the trade journal
Health Affairs that half of the nation's
annual healthcare costs -- an astounding $2.28 trillion -- will be
borne by the federal government. There is little doubt that in
the foreseeable future healthcare fraud will continue to be the
industry in which the greatest number of Qui Tam
actions are filed as the federal government spends more and more on
Medicare and Medicaid. With trillions of dollars being spent, the
healthcare sector will continue to be a key target for those
who would seek to defraud the federal government.
No Fees Without Recovery
Berger & Montague's Whistleblower, Qui Tam & False
Claims Act Group litigates cases on a contingent fee
basis, so whistleblowers do not pay attorneys'
fees or court costs unless there is a recovery.
Contact Us To Learn More
We invite you to learn more about our Whistleblowers, Qui Tam
& False Claims Act Practice Group. For more information or to
schedule a confidential discussion about a potential case, please
fill out the Quick Contact on the right. You can also call us at
(215) 875-5712.
For further reading: Qui Tam Whistleblower Law
Firm, Whistleblower Lawyers