Undercover: How I Went from Company Man to FBI Spy -- and Exposed the Worst Healthcare Fraud in U.S. History by John W. Schilling

From the Publisher

When John Schilling, an unassuming midlevel accountant, joined Columbia Healthcare Corporation-the nation's fastest-growing and revolutionary network of public hospitals-it seemed like the start of an exciting new career with great advancement and earnings potential. He never expected to become the catalyst for the series of "whistleblower" lawsuits that ripped through the healthcare industry in the late 1990s.

In Undercover, John Schilling tells the story of his harrowing journey from ordinary citizen and loyal employee to covert FBI informant and top witness for the Justice Department in the largest criminal healthcare fraud case in U.S. history. It began when he stumbled upon evidence-a {dollar}3.5 million accounting "error"-of his company's routine practice of defrauding Medicare. When pressured to comply with stealing from taxpayers, Schilling knew he had to speak up for what he believed was right, regardless of the cost to his job, his reputation, and his family. His courageous choice would consume the next seven years of his life, leading to more drama, angst, turmoil, and money than he could have imagined. Ultimately, Schilling's moral conviction and a little known law, the Fair Claims Act, paid off by forcing the formidable healthcare conglomerate of Columbia/HCA to pay back {dollar}1.7 billion to the federal government.

Revealing the personal side of a thankless role, Undercover is a gripping and inspiring account of a long, hard, life-changing quest for justice.

Harry Charles - Library Journal

Schilling (JWS Group), a former accountant with Columbia Hospital Corporation/HCA, here writes about his experience as a whistleblower in an immense Medicare fraud case. While the criminal convictions of company participants were reversed on appeal, Schilling's efforts resulted in $1.7 billion being returned to the federal government in a settlement. Schilling writes chronologically, ranging from his own CPA certification to his work with Columbia/HCA and his discovery of internal fraud. After filing his secret action under the federal False Claims Act, he left the company, then returned in an undercover capacity, monitored by the FBI. The author recounts the fear, stress on his family, and doubts that plagued him while he dealt with his company superiors, federal agents, prosecutors, and his private attorneys. The best parts of the book are Schilling's tart comments on the eventual civil settlement of the claims and the "Postscript: 10 years later," in which another writer interviews the participants on both sides and discusses the case and Schilling's role. While not as extensive as Henry Scammell's Giantkillers: The Team and the Law That Help Whistle-Blowers Recover America's Stolen Billions, Schilling's memoir is a worthwhile addition to this subject area in general collections.

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