Acadia, Vermilion Stop Ex-Top Executive’s Whistleblower Claims

Acadia Healthcare Co. and subsidiary Vermilion Hospital LLC defeated claims they violated the False Claims Act by seeking payments from federal healthcare programs that were tainted by kickbacks, according to a Thursday Louisiana federal court ruling.

But retaliation claims raised by whistleblower Jeffrey H. Byrd, a former chief financial officer, may proceed proceed.

Byrd said the companies violated the FCA by providing one physician with free staff, and another an inflated salary, in exchange for patient referrals, among other claims.

But Byrd’s complaint didn’t include enough detail as to the time and place of the alleged false claims to satisfy ...