McKool Smith, along with the State of New Jersey, acting through the New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, announced today that Horizon Healthcare Services, Inc. has agreed to pay $100 million to settle a lawsuit McKool Smith filed in 2021 on behalf of several whistleblowers, including Christin Deacon, Kevin Lyons, Pat Colligan, Marc Kovar, Mark Flores, and Vince Flores (“Relators”).
The suit, brought under the qui tam provisions of the Federal False Claims Act (FCA) and the New Jersey False Claims Act, alleges that Horizon defrauded the New Jersey State Health Benefits Program and the State Employee Health Benefit Plan (“State Benefit Plans”).
The allegations relate to Horizon’s role administering the medical benefits of hundreds of thousands of New Jersey government employees. Horizon submitted false funding claims to the State for years, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
“This case involved allegations of a multi-year scheme by Horizon to take New Jersey taxpayer money from State employee and school health benefit plans,” said McKool Smith Principal Jon Corey, who along with Principal David Schiefelbein, represented the Relators in the case. David Schiefelbein added, “we applaud our clients for raising the flag on Horizon’s misconduct and thank New Jersey Attorney General Platkin and the excellent lawyers in his office who joined us in holding Horizon accountable.”
McKool Smith’s plaintiff side qui tam practice focuses on large and complex False Claims Act cases. The firm’s attorneys have recovered billions of dollars for clients, including the USA and individual States, in complex disputes. McKool Smith’s unique combination of qui tam and trial experience permits it to partner with co-counsel and governmental entities to drive cases to resolution, and where necessary, try the cases to successful verdict
With more than 130 trial lawyers across offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Marshall, New York, and Washington, D.C., McKool Smith has established a reputation as one of America’s leading trial firms. The firm has secured 19 nine-figure jury verdicts and 16 eight-figure jury verdicts, obtaining more VerdictSearch and The National Law Journal “Top 100 Verdicts” than any other law firm. McKool Smith represents clients in complex commercial litigation, intellectual property, bankruptcy, insurance recovery, and white-collar defense matters.
