Qui tam is derived from the Latin phrase, qui tam pro domino rege quam pro sic ipso in hoc parte sequitur, which means “who as well for the king as for himself sues in this matter.” A qui tam action is a lawsuit brought by a private individual on behalf of the United States government. A qui tam action can be brought for any violation of the False Claims Act.  Fraud in healthcare and government contracting typically account for the largest percentage of recoveries in False Claims Act cases. Examples of violations include a healthcare provider that bills Medicare or Medicaid for medically unnecessary services or a contractor that participates in a bid rigging scheme to win a government contract.  Both can serve as the basis for a qui tam action.