> Six months after Warner Chilcott pleaded guilty to fraud charges, a federal judge ordered the company to pay $125 million in criminal fines, forfeiture and restitution. The pharmaceutical company admitted to illegally promoting seven drugs and paying kickback to physicians. Article
> A Miami physician was sentenced to 108 months in prison for a $30 million Medicare fraud scheme in which he took kickbacks in exchange for prescribing unnecessary home health services and falsifying patient records. Announcement
> A former healthcare consultant and Medicare biller was sentenced to 135 months for directing and authorizing kickbacks to recruiters who referred patients for intensive mental health treatment. Announcement
Health Payer News
> If a federal advisory panel gets its way, health insurers will soon have greater incentives to manage beneficiaries' prescription drug use and negotiate discounts with pharmaceutical manufacturers. Article
> In an office complex in Baltimore, a diverse group of experts is conducting more than 60 experiments with one common goal--to reinvent Medicare payment models, and, by extension, the whole U.S. healthcare system. Article
And finally… The one wedding where wet noodles are welcome. Article