backOn April 30, 2026, DOJ’s new National Fraud Enforcement Division announced the establishment of a West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force, joining its Health Care Fraud Section with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Arizona, District of Nevada and Northern District of California to combat health care fraud. DOJ’s press release states: “This expansion brings enhanced federal enforcement resources to one of the nation’s most significant health care technology hubs in the Northern District of California and what data analytics show is the migration of fraud schemes to Arizona and Nevada.” DOJ cites the “significant and accelerating increase in health care fraud across all three districts” as the basis for creating the regional Strike Force focused on the West Coast.
Whistleblowers & Self-Disclosure
In the announcement, DOJ made a point of encouraging the public “to report wrongdoing in the health care industry,” and cited to DOJ’s new corporate enforcement policy (Policy) for criminal matters. This policy—announced on March 10, 2026—created additional incentives for companies to make voluntarily disclosures to DOJ promptly after misconduct occurs and applies to all corporate criminal matters under DOJ except antitrust. Notably, the Policy also allows companies to voluntarily self-disclose to DOJ where an internal whistleblower has reported alleged wrongdoing to both DOJ and the company—so long as the company does so within 120 days. This is an important consideration in light of DOJ’s generous incentives for individuals to report corporate misconduct outlined in its Whistleblower Awards Program. For additional information, King & Spalding recently analyzed (bottom article) the implications of the self-disclosure aspects of the Policy to the health care industry.
Implications
The West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force represents continued emphasis from DOJ and the Trump Administration on health care fraud. In light of this heightened and ongoing scrutiny, companies in the health care industry should consider assessing and/or updating their compliance programs to ensure that their internal compliance and hotline intake and review systems are thorough, accessible, and functional. Proof of robust internal reporting mechanisms may be a positive factor in resolving any future matters with DOJ.
Further, the announcement’s specific call to the public to report incidents of fraud, coupled with the incentives in DOJ’s Whistleblower Awards Program and new Corporate Enforcement Policy, increases the likelihood that individuals and employees may come forward with complaints, founded or unfounded. These complaints, in turn, will require careful—and quick—corporate review and action in order to qualify for the benefits of prompt, voluntary self-disclosure provided for under the new Policy.
