A former Georgia insurance commissioner was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, the Justice Department said July 12. 

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago has been hit with a federal class action lawsuit over a data breach that affected 792,000 patients. The lawsuit also alleges that the hospital waited almost five months to inform individuals their information had been compromised, according to court documents.

Three laboratories have agreed to pay $2.45 million to resolve allegations they submitted claims containing manipulated diagnosis codes to Medicare and Medicaid. 

A California-based laboratory has agreed to pay $1 million to resolve allegations that it double-billed Medicare for urine drug testing. 

Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health took immediate advantage of the Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Chevron deference.

Financially troubled Dallas-based Steward Health Care is under criminal investigation by federal prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney's office in Boston, CBS News reported July 11. 

Strauss Ventures, doing business as Grand Healthcare System, and 12 skilled nursing facilities will pay $21.3 million to settle allegations they billed federal healthcare programs for services that were unreasonable, unnecessary, unskilled or that did not occur as billed.

In a decision that came down to the wire, New York City-based Mount Sinai's Beth Israel hospital will not close July 12 as initially planned. Along with legal challenges, the health system is waiting on the New York State Department of Health's approval for its revised closure plan.

The Federal Trade Commission is preparing to sue UnitedHealth Group, CVS Health and the Cigna Group over their pharmaceutical benefit managers' business practices, The Wall Street Journal reported July 10. 

From a Montana physician pleading guilty to participating in a $39 million scheme to the Justice Department filing charges against nearly 200 people for $2.8 billion in fraud schemes, here are 10 healthcare billing fraud cases Becker's has reported since June 20:

Michael Lucchesi, MD, former chairman of emergency medicine and chief medical officer at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, has been charged with using a business card for nearly $1.5 million in personal purchases and cash advances.

Beginning Jan. 1, health insurers will be required to cover clinician-administered medications, or outpatient infusion therapies, for Rhode Island residents. 

A Kansas law compels drugmakers to extend 340B program discounts to contract pharmacies. In early July, AstraZeneca and AbbVie filed lawsuits against the legislation, according to court documents obtained by Becker's. 

Reading Hospital in West Reading, Pa., filed a class action lawsuit against Hill-Rom, a hospital bed maker, alleging anticompetitive behavior.

A Las Vegas business owner was sentenced to 21 months in prison for submitting more than $700,000 in false invoices to a Nevada hospital. 

A federal court in Texas has approved a preliminary injunction against the Federal Trade Commission's sweeping noncompete ban, which, if implemented, would have seismic effects on the healthcare industry and the U.S. economy more broadly.

The Biden administration sent a letter to hospitals July 2, reaffirming they have a "legal duty" under federal law to ensure all patients with emergency medical conditions are offered stabilizing treatment, including abortion when deemed necessary. 

Chevron deference ruling to two health plans filing a proposed class action lawsuit against Hartford HealthCare, here are 10 healthcare industry lawsuits, settlements and legal developments Becker's reported since June 26: 

Montefiore St. Luke's Cornwall in Newburgh, N.Y., is facing a $21 million lawsuit filed by an anesthesiologist group that claims the hospital breached an exclusive contract to use the group's physicians for its anesthesia services, the Westfair Business Journal reported July 3. 

From Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems to Norfolk, Va.-based Sentara Health, the Justice Department has been busy looking into multiple health systems and healthcare organizations over the last few months.