Quest Diagnostics付1,301万美元和解回扣指控：被指用球场包厢招待医生换转介
美国司法部新泽西区联邦检察官办公室11月6日宣布，临床实验室公司 Quest Diagnostics 已支付1,301万4,576美元加利息，就其向医生和医疗机构高管提供非法回扣、并向联邦医疗保险（Medicare）与纽约州、新泽西州医疗补助（Medicaid）提交虚假申报的指控达成和解。
Quest Diagnostics 总部位于新泽西州 Secaucus，是美国最大的临床检验公司之一。联邦检察官 Robert Frazer 表示，根据指控，Quest 在2013年与纽约 Giants 队签下命名权与赞助协议后，获得了位于 New Jersey 的 MetLife Stadium 主场包厢席位等权益；2013年7月25日至2022年8月3日期间，Quest 把这些资源变成免费招待：向有能力把患者检验业务转介给 Quest 的客户机构决策者提供主场包厢看球、餐饮酒水，有时还包括停车与赛前热身近距离观摩资格。
检方指控的招待形式还包括训练营 VIP 观摩、由 Giants 退役名将主持的选秀讲解会，以及可带家属参加、由球员带领训练的家庭活动日。检方称，Quest 高管与销售代表专挑高价值客户的决策者邀请参加，销售代表必须陪同出席，还为每场邀约设定销售目标并向高层汇报；2013至2016赛季期间，Quest 甚至按客户在受招待后一年内带来的收入计算「投资回报率」。
Frazer 在声明中说：「回扣腐蚀医疗判断，导致不必要的检验，让医生把患者引向提供好处的实验室，浪费纳税人的钱。」卫生与公众服务部监察长办公室（HHS-OIG）负责人 Naomi D. Gruchacz 表示，违反《反回扣法》会损害医疗判断与联邦医疗项目的诚信。除民事和解金外，Quest 还与 HHS-OIG 签订为期五年的企业诚信协议，须由独立机构评估其与转介来源之间利益往来的风险审核。
此案源于举报人依据《虚假申报法》提起的诉讼，三名举报人将共计获得247万2,769美元的分成。司法部强调，本次和解所解决的仅为指控，尚无责任认定。Quest 方面此前对媒体表示，公司否认有任何不当或违法行为，并称早在2025年就已同意和解、希望把此事了结。（来源：美国司法部）
Quest Diagnostics Pays $13 Million to Settle Kickback Allegations Over Free Giants Suite Events for Doctors
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey announced on November 6 that clinical laboratory company Quest Diagnostics has paid $13,014,576 plus interest to resolve allegations that it provided illegal kickbacks to doctors and health care executives and submitted false claims to Medicare and the New York and New Jersey Medicaid programs.
Quest Diagnostics, based in Secaucus, New Jersey, is one of the largest clinical laboratory companies in the United States. According to U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer, after Quest entered a naming rights and sponsorship agreement with the New York Giants in 2013, it received suite seats at MetLife Stadium and other benefits. Between July 25, 2013, and August 3, 2022, Quest allegedly turned those benefits into free entertainment for decisionmakers at client accounts who could refer patient testing business to Quest, including game-day suite seats with food and alcohol, and at times parking and field access for pre-game warmups.
The alleged entertainment also included VIP training camp viewing, draft chalk talks hosted by former Giants players, and family combine days led by players. Prosecutors said Quest executives and sales representatives targeted decisionmakers from its highest-value accounts, tied specific sales goals to the invitations, and, from 2013 through 2016, measured the return on investment by comparing revenue from entertained accounts before and after the events.
"Kickbacks to referring providers corrupt medical judgment, lead to unnecessary lab testing, and squander taxpayer money," Frazer said. Along with the civil settlement, Quest entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the HHS Office of Inspector General, requiring independent review of its risk assessments and audits involving referral sources.
The case began as a whistleblower lawsuit under the False Claims Act; the three relators will receive a combined $2,472,769. The Justice Department stressed that the claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. Quest has said it denies any wrongdoing and agreed to the settlement in 2025 to put the matter behind it. (Source: U.S. Department of Justice)
来源：美国司法部
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：图：位于 California 州 Manteca 的一家 Quest Diagnostics 患者服务中心。TaurusEmerald 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: A Quest Diagnostics patient service center in Manteca, California. By TaurusEmerald, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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