Abbott Laboratories didn’t cause medical providers to submit false payment claims to Medicare for unapproved stents, a Texas jury ruled, thwarting a whistle-blower’s lawsuit seeking as much as $1 billion.
Kevin Colquitt, a former salesman for Abbott’s predecessor Guidant, claimed the company pushed bile duct stents that were intended for short-term purposes for more complex vascular use. Colquitt filed the lawsuit in 2006 on behalf of the U.S. government, accusing the company of encouraging doctors and hospitals to falsely code bills to Medicare.
