From a husband and wife allegedly bilking $45 million from Medicare to a disbarred lawyer admitting he stole $1.2 million from a Missouri health system, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. Boston Medical Center to pay $1.1M over billing errors
Boston Medical Center and two of its physician practices agreed to pay $1.1 million to resolve allegations that BMC improperly billed Medicaid and Medicare.
2. Former medical biller sentenced to 11 years for role in $63M fraud scheme
Nery Cowan, of Miami, was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for her role in a $63 million healthcare fraud scheme involving now-defunct Greater Miami Behavioral Healthcare Center, a partial hospitalization program.
3. Physician who claimed to have 11,000 patients could spend rest of life behind bars
A federal jury in Dallas found Jacques Roy, MD, guilty in what is believed to be the nation's largest home healthcare fraud involving a single physician.
4. Lawyer in charge of past due patient payments steals $1.2M from St. Luke's
Alan B. Gallas, 64, a recently disbarred lawyer, admitted in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., that he embezzled more than $1.2 million from Kansas City-based St. Luke's Health System from 2009 to July 2015.
5. Husband and wife allegedly bilked $45M from Medicare, kept indentured servant
Defrauding Medicare of millions of dollars was a family affair for Richard and Maribel Tinimbang, a Chicago couple who allegedly used their healthcare business to steal $45 million from the government payer.
6. MemorialCare sues over hospital closure, asks for $42.5M in damages
Fountain Valley, Calif.-based MemorialCare Health System filed a lawsuit against the city of San Clemente, Calif., requesting potential damages of $42.5 million for losses associated with the planned closure of Saddleback Memorial – San Clemente.
7. Maryland physician gets 9 years for healthcare fraud
Paramjit Singh Ajrawat, MD, of Potomac, Md., received a prison sentence of more than 9 years — 111 months, precisely — for his role in a $3.1 million healthcare fraud scheme.
8. Judge dismisses abortion lawsuit against Trinity Health
A lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against Trinity Health Corp., a 90-hospital group based in Livonia, Mich., for its anti-abortion policies was dismissed.
9. Physician imposter treats patients in Michigan, helps steal $6.2M from Medicare
Cecil Alexander Kent Jr. of Eastlake, Ohio, pleaded guilty to his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare of approximately $6.2 million while he posed as a licensed physician.
10. Lawsuit claims Ill. budget impasse has robbed state employees of health insurance
A state employee filed a lawsuit against Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner and several other high-ranking state officials, claiming the state's budget impasse has left nonunion employees without the insurance they continue to pay for.
11. Employee sues hospitals for allegedly revealing HIV status during security breach
A University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro (N.J.) employee who was herself previously hospitalized within the health system filed a lawsuit, alleging her HIV-positive status was leaked to coworkers during a security breach.
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