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Halifax Whistleblower Shares Her Story

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

College students studying whistleblower law heard a first-hand account from the woman who accused Halifax Health of Medicare fraud, the Daytona Beach-News Journalreports. 

For the first time, ElinBaklid-Kunz spoke publicly to Stetson University students about the whistleblower lawsuit that was settled earlier this year for $86 million, and earned $20.8 million for Baklid-Kunz and her attorneys.

The health system admitted no wrongdoing amid claims it violated the Stark Law. Baklid-Kunz, who worked as a compliance officer for the 678-bed public hospital system, told the News-Journal she has been vilified. “You can make me the bad guy, but it doesn’t change that you broke the law,” she said.

Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012.