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Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. Responds to an Employee Wrongful Termination Suit Filed Against it as Baseless and Without Merit

ELMWOOD PARK, N.J., April 12, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. (Nasdaq:BRLI) strongly denounced and denied the allegations of a complaint that has been filed against the Company in the Superior Court of New Jersey by an apparently disgruntled, former employee. The Company has indicated that it will vigorously defend this case, if it proceeds, and will seek to vindicate itself through all means against the frivolous allegations.

The Company noted that earlier this week a web-based blog had posted the complaint against the Company, which has not yet been served on the Company and was unknown to the Company prior to the blog report. However, based on what was posted on the blog, the Company has completed a preliminary review of the allegations and has determined that the complaint is baseless, frivolous and totally without merit. The complaint describes a series of events that are unsupported by facts and seeks compensation for non-existent damages. The Company has policies and procedures in place that are designed to prevent the possibility of compliance violations along the lines of those alleged and that it has quality assurance programs in place that verify full compliance during the period of time alleged in the complaint. The Company's preliminary review of all electronic requisitions (the method that was used in this office) submitted by the account during the time when the plaintiff was assigned at that office to be a phlebotomist reveals no apparent Medicare or other billing issues. The Company believes it has found no evidence that any Medicare patients, drawn by the physician's staff, were billed by the Company to Medicare for venipuncture fees. The Company also believes, based on its preliminary review that the totality of blood draws involving the plaintiff are miniscule in number and the amount of anticipated reimbursement from those phlebotomy services billed to Medicare from the account over the period the plaintiff worked at the location was less than $250. In addition, the Company believes that the billing practices relating to this account are consistent and compliant with Medicare and Medicaid regulations.

It should be noted that the former employee was terminated by the Company in the ordinary course of business in April 2011 and that she filed no internal or external complaints with or against the Company until the lawsuit was reported in the previously mentioned blog report. The Company believes that the circumstances relating to the filing of the complaint and the allegations contained in it defy logic and credibility. In this regard, while the case has been described in the internet blogs as a "whistleblower" suit, the Company is unaware of any facts indicating that the Plaintiff ever engaged in any whistleblowing activities, and this case is nothing more than a wrongful termination suit filed by a disgruntled former employee nearly two years after her discharge.

The Company will continue to investigate the allegations and the circumstances of this case and will take all necessary and appropriate steps available under the law.
 






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