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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Incident Reporting, Information Privacy, Information Security, Risk Management

  CVS Caremark Corp has agreed to pay $17.5 million to resolve claims that it overbilled Medicaid.  The case was brought to the Justice Department by a whistleblower in Minnesota, who will receive $2.6 million. Which makes more sense to you and your bottom line?  A) Having employees report illegal and unethical situations internally so your organization can address situations and document them for legal and CYA purposes or B) having employees report illegal and unethical situations to the federal government and then dealing with expensive multi-million dollar fines, spending time and money and resources on repairing reputations and having the whistleblower get paid millions too?Read More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Incident Reporting, Workplace Violence

  What is your first thought when you hear the word WHISTLEBLOWER? Whistleblower definitions commonly say a whistleblower is any person that reveals wrongdoing or malpractices taking place within an organization.  And in many cases a whistleblower may face retaliation or other negative ramifications and by law may require special protection. What is your first thought when you hear the word HERO? Hero definitions run from mythical and legendary figures to a person that is admired for their achievements or noble qualities to a central figure in an event, period or movement. When is the last time you heard an organization promote their Hero Line? Read More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Health Care, Incident Reporting, Legal

  A previous Lessons Learned Blog mentioned the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and a special bounty program within the Act for whistleblowers.  Did you see it? An attorney at the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s Annual National Institute legal update says healthcare providers may be heading into a storm of whistleblower suits that could cause serious problems for the unprepared. The attorney predicts the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act could lead to an explosion of whistleblower lawsuits because the new law does not require the plaintiff to have direct knowledge of alleged fraud to file a suit. So if youRead More →