A nursing home association and a hospital association have urged the Supreme Court to reverse a decision that loosens restrictions under the False Claims Act. 

The American Health Care Association and American Hospital Association lent support to a Supreme Court brief asking the highest court to review a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The appeals court found that a false claim does not have to be presented to the government as a requirement for liability under the act. 

Skilled nursing providers, which receive government payments for services provided by third-party vendors, fear their vendors could be the subject of lawsuits, as a result of the appeals decision. Providers then would be involved in an investigation as well, they say. One expert, however, said the Sixth Court ruling likely would not affect False Claims act healthcare cases.