In this edition of Faegre Drinker’s State Attorneys General Update, we discuss:

• A nearly $8 million settlement related to allegedly false Medicaid submissions in Arkansas
• Criminal charges filed under Washington’s Water Pollution Control Act against a hydroelectric company and its chief operating officer in his individual capacity
• A civil action filed by the California AG alleging Walmart improperly disposed of hazardous waste and personal customer data
• A pair of lawsuits the Texas AG brought against Google alleging deceptive trade practices
• A $2.25 million settlement between Washington and Amazon relating to alleged price fixing

Arkansas AG Enters Into False Claims Settlement With Medicaid Provider

Empower Healthcare Solutions, LLC, agreed to pay nearly $8 million to settle alleged violations of the Arkansas Medicaid False Claims Act. According to the Arkansas AG, Empower reported an inflated Medical Loss Ratio (MLR), which is the portion of customer premiums used to pay for clinical services or for quality improvement, because it improperly booked funds it received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHS). The AG also alleged that Empower rolled over excess capitated Medicaid funds into 2021 without prior DHS approval. The AG acknowledged that Empower fully cooperated with the investigation and denied any wrongdoing. The investigation leading to this civil settlement was a joint effort by the DHS Office of Inspector General and the Arkansas Medicaid...

Read Full Story: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/state-attorneys-general-updates-from-8097910/