In a two-page memorandum, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a broad policy statement prohibiting the use of agency guidance documents as the basis for proving legal violations in civil enforcement actions, including actions brought under the False Claims Act (FCA). The extent to which these policy changes ultimately create relief for health care defendants in FCA actions is unclear at this time. That said, the memo provides defendants with a valuable tool in defending FCA actions, either brought by DOJ or relator’s counsel, that attempt to use alleged noncompliance with agency sub-regulatory guidance as support for an FCA theory.
Guidance on Guidance: DOJ Limits Use of Agency Guidance Documents in Civil Enforcement Cases
Tags: actions brought under False Claims Act, actions brought under FCA, Administrative Procedure Act, agency guidance documents, agency sub-regulatory guidance, civil enforcement actions, DOJ, FCA theory, health care agency guidance, health care defendants, notice-and-comment rulemaking, the Brand Memo, the Sessions Memo, US Department of Justice
Drew Elizabeth McCormickDrew Elizabeth McCormick maintains a general health industry and regulatory practice. Drew advises health care clients on a wide variety of health care regulatory issues, including Medicare and Medicaid regulations, the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, Ethics in Patient Referral Law, False Claims Act and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), as well as state fraud and abuse laws, privacy laws, licensure regulation, research regulation, and health care compliance matters. Drew also has experience counseling clients who are undergoing government audits and investigations. Read Drew Elizabeth McCormicks' full bio.
Laura McLaneLaura McLane serves as head of McDermott's Boston Litigation Practice Group. Laura represents national and international clients in health care, securities and other government enforcement matters, both civil and criminal. She also represents clients in professional and products liability cases and in complex commercial disputes. A significant part of Laura's practice is devoted to representing health care and other companies, as well as individuals, in government investigations and qui tam litigation based on the False Claims Act (FCA) and related statutes, including the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law. Read Laura McLane's full bio.
Tony MaidaTony Maida counsels health care and life sciences clients on government investigations, regulatory compliance and compliance program development. Having served as a government official, Tony has extensive experience in health care fraud and abuse and compliance issues, including the federal and state Anti-Kickback and Stark Laws and Medicare and Medicaid coverage and payment rules. He represents clients in False Claims Act (FCA) qui tam matters, government audits, civil monetary penalty and exclusion investigations, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) suspension, and revocation actions, negotiating and implementing corporate integrity agreements, and making government self-disclosures. Read Tony Maida's full bio.
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