New anti-retaliation whistleblower rights have been put into place by Congress for hospital employees who challenge breakdowns in the provision of medical care. This is intended to help prevent government fraud/Medicare Fraud. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law include such rights as:
- Protections for refusing to violate law or public or private whistleblowing disclosures;
- Reinstatement, compensatory damages, attorneys fees and other relief necessary to “make whole” whistleblowers who win their case;
- Bans on gag orders conflicting with the law’s free speech rights that employers often impose as a job prerequisite
