The Federal Whistleblower File · 2026 Edition

The insider's guide to nursing home whistleblower claims.

A free guide for current and former nursing home employees explaining what federal law allows — and what it protects — when an insider reports Medicare or Medicaid fraud at a skilled nursing facility. Anchored to the U.S. Department of Justice's FY 2024 False Claims Act statistics release.

Published by Traction Law Group. Educational resource. Attorney advertising.

$2.9B
Total FY 2024 False Claims Act recoveries reported by the U.S. Department of Justice.
979
Qui tam lawsuits filed by whistleblowers in FY 2024 — a single-year record.
$2.4B+
Recoveries reported in qui tam matters in FY 2024.
15–30%
Statutory range of recovery a successful relator may receive.
Who This Guide Is For

If you've worked inside a nursing home, this is written for you.

DOJ enforcement records reflect successful False Claims Act recoveries filed by employees, contractors, and consultants across virtually every role inside a skilled nursing facility.

Clinical Staff

Registered nurses, LPNs, CNAs, DONs, ADONs, charge nurses, and clinical educators.

MDS & Therapy

MDS coordinators, case-mix specialists, PT/OT/SLP staff, and contract therapy providers.

Billing & Admin

Billing, coding, admissions, and revenue-cycle staff. Administrators and regional directors.

Hospice & Medical

Hospice clinicians and case managers, medical directors, and consulting physicians.

What's Inside the Guide

Federal law, in plain terms.

The guide covers the statute, the enforcement landscape, the qui tam process, and the federal protections that exist for employees who come forward — with citations to the False Claims Act, DOJ enforcement data, and HHS-OIG guidance throughout.

The FY 2024 Federal Landscape

What DOJ collected, where it came from, and the nursing home defendants named in the FY 2024 report.

The False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–3733

What the statute prohibits, how "knowingly" is defined, and how treble damages and per-claim penalties scale exposure for high-volume billers.

Common Nursing Home Fraud Patterns

Eight billing patterns that have repeatedly produced FCA recoveries at skilled nursing facilities — therapy minutes, MDS manipulation, hospice ineligibility, worthless services, kickbacks, ghost services, staffing certifications, and upcoding.

Who Can Be a Whistleblower

The relator role, the first-to-file rule, the public-disclosure bar, and the kinds of insiders who have historically filed successful qui tam cases.

The Qui Tam Process, Step by Step

From the first consultation through the sealed complaint, DOJ investigation, intervention decision, litigation or settlement, and award distribution.

Anti-Retaliation Protections

What § 3730(h) covers, what relief it provides — including reinstatement and double back pay — and how the seal period affects what employers learn.

"The False Claims Act and its whistleblower provisions remain a critical tool in protecting the public fisc and ensuring that taxpayer funds serve the purposes for which they were intended."

U.S. Department of Justice  ·  FY 2024 FCA Statistics Release
The Free 11-Page Guide

Download the full PDF and read it whenever you have a quiet minute.

No email opt-in. No form. Just the file.

Download the PDF 11 pages · PDF
How To Use The Guide

Read it. Then decide.

The guide is an 11-page educational resource. There's no opt-in, no form, and no obligation. Here is how most readers work through it.

Step One

Save it somewhere private.

Download to a personal phone or device. The PDF is searchable and set up for reading on a phone screen, with no need to print.

Step Two

Look up what matches your role.

Chapter 4 covers eight billing patterns that have led to nursing home FCA recoveries. Chapter 5 covers who federal law allows to file a qui tam case.

Step Three

Talk to a lawyer if something resonates.

A conversation with our team is no-cost and no-obligation. We discuss what you're comfortable sharing, explain how federal law applies, and let you decide what to do next.

Federal Sources · The guide cites the False Claims Act, DOJ enforcement data, and federal whistleblower protections.
No-Cost Intake · We discuss the facts at no charge and no obligation.
Nationwide Review · We review cases across the country.
If You've Seen Something

Our team of skilled lawyers reviews cases nationwide.

If something in this guide sounds familiar, the next step is a private conversation with a lawyer — not document collection on your own, and not internal escalation. We discuss only what you're comfortable sharing, explain how federal law applies, and let you decide what to do next.