HILL-ROM MEDICAL EQUIP. SUPPLIER TO PAY $41.8 MILLION TO SETTLE WHISTLEBLOWER CASE

Hill-Rom Company Inc., a major, publicly traded supplier of durable medical equipment including hospital beds, has agreed to pay $41.8 million to settle a False Claims Act whistleblower case. The whistleblowers, Lisa Brocco and Laurie Salmons filed the case when they learned that the company was billing and receiving payments from Medicare for patients who did not qualify, including some who had already died. The whistleblowers will share in a reward of $8.36 million. Hill Rom’s principal offices are located in Vatesville Indiana and the case was originally filed in 2005. It is estimated that healthcare fraud costs the taxpayers more than $60 Billion each year.