DaVita Settles Atlanta Whistleblower Lawsuit For $495M

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DaVita HealthCare Partners, Inc. ─ a dialysis provider with nearly 2,200 U.S. locations ─ will pay $495 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit.

The 2011 lawsuit involves claims that the Denver-based company tossed out medicine, but then billed Medicaid and Medicare for the drugs.

Dr. Alon Vainer and nurse Daniel Barbir, both DaVita employees in Atlanta, filed the suit. They could share in more than $130 million of the settlement.

In a press release, DaVita officials denied wrongdoing, but said the company settled because it was in the best interest of its stakeholders.

Since 2012, DaVita has paid out nearly a $1 billion to settle civil claims.