Virginia Code

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-312 (2026)

Fraudulently obtaining excess or attempting to obtain excess benefits or payments; penalty

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section VA-LISlaw.lis.virginia.gov JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

A. No person, agency or institution, but not including an individual medical assistance recipient of health care, on behalf of himself or others, whether under a contract or otherwise, shall obtain or attempt to obtain benefits or payments where the Commonwealth directly or indirectly provides any portion of the benefits or payments pursuant to the Plan for Medical Assistance and any amendments thereto as provided for in § 32.1-325, hereafter referred to as "medical assistance" in a greater amount than that to which entitled by:

1. Knowingly and willfully making or causing to be made any false statement or false representation of material fact;

2. Knowingly and willfully concealing or causing to be concealed any material facts; or

3. Knowingly and willfully engaging in any fraudulent scheme or device, including, but not limited to, submitting a claim for services, drugs, supplies or equipment that were unfurnished or were of a lower quality, or a substitution or misrepresentation of items billed.

B. Any person, agency or institution knowingly and willfully violating any of the provisions of subsection A shall be (i) liable for repayment of any excess benefits or payments received, plus interest on the amount of the excess benefits or payments at the rate of 1.5 percent each month for the period from the date upon which payment was made to the date upon which repayment is made to the Commonwealth and (ii) in addition to any other penalties provided by law, subject to civil penalties. The state Attorney General may petition the circuit court in the jurisdiction of the alleged offense, to seek an order assessing civil penalties in an amount not to exceed three times the amount of such excess benefits or payments. Such civil penalties shall not apply to any acts or omissions occurring prior to the effective date of this law.

C. A criminal action need not be brought against a person for that person to be civilly liable under this section.

D. Civil penalties shall be deposited in the general fund of the state treasury upon their receipt.

E. A civil action under this section shall be brought (i) within six years of the date on which the violation was committed, or (ii) within three years of the date when an official of the Commonwealth charged with the responsibility to act in the circumstances discovered or reasonably should have discovered the facts material to the cause of action. However, in no event shall the limitations period extend more than 10 years from the date on which the violation was committed.

1981, c. 255; 1984, c. 781; 2007, c. 569; 2010, c. 305.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2011–2024 · leading case: United States Ex Rel. Lisitza v. Johnson & Johnson, 765 F. Supp. 2d 112 (D. Mass. 2011).
United States Ex Rel. Lisitza v. Johnson & Johnson, 765 F. Supp. 2d 112 (D. Mass. 2011). “Virginia J & J argues that the claims of the Commonwealth of Virginia — brought under Va.Code § 32.1-312, Virginia’s Fraud Against Taxpayer’s Act (FATA) — should be dismissed (1) as barred by the statute of limitations; and (2) because the FATA, as enacted, does not encompass…”
United States of Am. v. NDUTIME Youth & Fam. Servs., Inc. (E.D. Va. 2020). · cites it 12× “1-312!'° (Count V); (6) payment by mistake under Virginia law (Count VI); (7) common law fraud under Virginia law (Count VII); and, (8) unjust enrichment under Virginia law (Count VIII).”
United States of Am. v. Walgreen Co. (W.D. Va. 2021). · cites it 4× “2021)4 (Count VI); violation of the Virginia Medicaid Fraud Statute, Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-312 (2018) (Count VII); Unjust Enrichment (Count VIII); Payment by Mistake (Count IX); and Common Law Fraud (Count X).”
United States of Am. v. Walgreen Co. (W.D. Va. 2024). · cites it 4× “2021)2 (Count VI); violation of the Virginia Medicaid Fraud Statute, Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-312 (2018) (Count VII); Unjust Enrichment (Count VIII); Payment by Mistake (Count IX); and Common Law Fraud (Count X).”
— Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-312(A) — 1 case
United States of Am. v. NDUTIME Youth & Fam. Servs., Inc. (E.D. Va. 2020). “1-312!'° (Count V); (6) payment by mistake under Virginia law (Count VI); (7) common law fraud under Virginia law (Count VII); and, (8) unjust enrichment under Virginia law (Count VIII).”
— Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-312(B) — 1 case
United States of Am. v. NDUTIME Youth & Fam. Servs., Inc. (E.D. Va. 2020). “1-312!'° (Count V); (6) payment by mistake under Virginia law (Count VI); (7) common law fraud under Virginia law (Count VII); and, (8) unjust enrichment under Virginia law (Count VIII).”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.