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 AmericanHospital Association lent support to a Supreme Court brief asking the highestcourt 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 thegovernment as a requirement for liability under the act. 

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