DOJ's Whistle-Blower Recruitment Pays Off by Carrie Johnson

http://www.npr.org/2010/11/22/131522125/doj-s-whistle-blower-recruitment-pays-off

The Justice Department says it has recovered a record $2.5 billion in health care fraud over the past year — mostly with the help of drug company employees who blow the whistle to the federal government.

The big-ticket settlements mostly came from Pfizer, AstraZenica and Novartis, pharmaceutical companies accused of questionable marketing practices or overbilling federal insurance programs.

"This administration has made health care fraud a priority," said Tony West, assistant attorney general for the department's civil division. "When you look at health care fraud and the recoveries that we've been able to obtain over the last two years, it's been about $4.6 billion. That's more money recovered in a two-year period than at any other time in history."

I'm shocked. Just shocked, I tell you.