A. The Attorney General shall diligently investigate a violation under the Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act. If the Attorney General finds that a person has violated or is violating the Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act, the Attorney General may bring a civil action under this section against the person.

B. 1. A person may bring a civil action for a violation of the Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act for the person and for this state. The action shall be brought in the name of the state. The action may be dismissed only if the court and the Attorney General give written consent to the dismissal and state the reasons for consenting.

2. A copy of the complaint and written disclosure of substantially all material evidence and information the person possesses shall be served on the state pursuant to Section 2004 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The complaint shall be filed in camera, shall remain under seal for at least sixty (60) days, and shall not be served on the defendant until the court so orders. The state may elect to intervene and proceed with the action within sixty (60) days after it receives both the complaint and the material evidence and information.

3. The state may, for good cause shown, move the court for extensions of the time during which the complaint remains under seal under paragraph 2 of this subsection. Any such motions may be supported by affidavits or other submissions in camera. The defendant shall not be required to respond to any complaint filed under this section until twenty (20) days after the complaint is unsealed and served upon the defendant pursuant to Section 2004 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

4. Before the expiration of the sixty-day period or any extensions obtained under paragraph 3 of this subsection, the state shall:

a.proceed with the action, in which case the action shall be conducted by the state, or

b.notify the court that it declines to take over the action, in which case the person bringing the action shall have the right to conduct the action.

5. When a person brings an action under this section, no person other than the state may intervene or bring a related action based on the facts underlying the pending action.

Added by Laws 2007, c. 137, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2007. Amended by Laws 2016, c. 44, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2016.