Orthofix Inc. agrees to pay $30M to settle whistleblower suit

Orthofix International will pay $30 Million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit alleging a kickback scheme to physicians concerning its spinal surgery products. The company allegedly paid kickbacks to health care providers in order to get them to use the products and the kickbacks to the form of consulting agreements, stock options, gifts, travel, unrestricted grants and entertainment. The complaint listed 67 doctors and medical firms and said most received upto to $6,000 per month. The whistleblower Susan Hutcheson will receive $8 million as her share of the settlement amount.