Hospital association, attorney general's office debate Medicaid false claim bill

"The Ohio Hospital Association urged rejection Wednesday of a House proposal to let individuals file lawsuits on the state’s behalf over alleged Medicaid fraud, predicting it would generate frivolous actions from whistleblowers." (Source: Gongwer Report, Jan. 23, 2008.) However, John Guthrie, chief of the health care fraud section in the Ohio attorney general's office, called the measure "an effective complement to the federal False Claims Act that would enable the state of Ohio to successfully combat fraud." House Bill 355 is sponsored by Rep. Jim Hughes (R-Columbus) and would allow individuals to file civil suits against persons or institutions that are "knowingly and deliberately" defrauding the state of money.