NHLS to Reimburse $975k to Federal Government to Settle GI Bill Overbilling Allegations
NH Learning Solutions, aka New Horizons, has settled allegations that it inflated education benefits claimed on behalf of veterans. In the settlement, the company did not admit to wrongdoing. Photo credit: NHLS website.
The lawsuit claimed NHLS overbilled the government for GI Bill benefits, according to a 2022 press release.
The government’s complaint claimed NHLS knowingly submitted false claims for inflated tuition and fees at locations in Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan.
The Post 9/11 GI Bill
Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pays tuition and all related fees directly to qualifying schools for enrolled students who are current or former military members.
Those net costs for tuition and fees are paid after the school applies any scholarships, waivers, grants or other financial assistance that reduces the costs of the tuition and fees. This is known as the “Last Payer Rule,” which ensures that the VA is the payer of last resort and benefits from any tuition-based financial support available to a student.
In the lawsuit, the government alleged NHLS repeatedly reported tuition and fees to the VA on student invoices but failed to deduct the tuition scholarships, grants, or waivers it provided to certain veterans, thereby causing the VA to overpay NHLS for educational assistance benefits, according to a public statement by the Justice Department.
Comments by Officials
“The Post-9/11 GI Bill was designed to support the educational needs of our veterans, not to permit schools to illegally profit at the expense of the American taxpayers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton in the statement. Boynton heads the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
“Safeguarding Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefit funds reserved for deserving veterans remains a priority, and our investigators are working diligently in the field to ensure these programs are not exploited for financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General’s Central Field Office.
What if You Are an NHLS Student?
Under the terms of the settlement, NHLS will reimburse the U.S. $975,000 but not admit wrongdoing. For its side, the government does not admit it was wrong to bring charges against NHLS.
NHLS will continue to offer education services to vets and does not appear to be at risk of losing accreditation to provide education services reimbursed under the GI Bill.
If you have questions about NHLS’s current status, contact a VA education benefits counselor by calling 1-888-GIBILL-1 (888-442-4551).
You can also call this line if you suspect fraud with NHLS or any other institution that works with the GI Bill.
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