Clearwater, Fla. Some employees of Lincare Holdings are under investigation by a federal grand jury concerning possible violations of health care laws, the company said.

The company would not name the employees or give details of the allegations but did say it has "provided the government with various documents pertaining to, among other things, the delivery of respiratory and other services to patients and relating to dealings between the company and physicians."

"The company takes being in compliance with the law very seriously and is cooperating fully with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida," said company spokesman Joe Grillo.

Grillo said he could not comment on the number of employees involved or their locations. As to the length of the investigation, Lincare officials said in a pressrelease: "The company can give no assurances as to the duration of the investigation or as to whether or not the government will institute proceedings against the company or any of its employees or as to the violations that may be asserted."

Lincare also said it is a defendant in more than one qui tam suit but did not give specifics, saying only that it plans to "vigorously defend these suits" and that the government has declined to intervene in all unsealed qui tam actions of which the company is aware.

In other news, Lincare has acquired United Medical, a Wynne, Ark.-based provider of home respiratory and other services and equipment. Details of the deal were not disclosed.

United Medical, with annual revenue of about $60 million, has 42 locations in nine states-Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

"The acquisition enhances Lincare's presence in the Southeast," said John P. Byrnes, chief executive officer. He said it is Lincare's 15th acquisition this year.

Springfield, Mo. Four Missouri home care companies along with several doctors and nurses were indicted on charges of accepting kickbacks and attempting to defraud the federal government by submitting false Medicare claims.

Sterling Home Health Care and Sandhill Inc., both of Lamar, and La-Du's Home Health Care and A to Z Billing Services, both of Joplin, were named in the 22-count indictment handed down by a federal grand jury June 15 but only recently released.

The indictment alleges that the companies influenced patients at the Sandhill facility to see certain doctors who, in turn, would certify they needed home health care from Sterling and La-Du's. The physicians allegedly billed Medicare for patient visits, and the providers billed Medicare for home health services, the indictment charges. The scheme resulted in overpayments by Medicare of more than $1 million, according to the indictment. -S.H.