The New York State Department of Health has ordered New York City-based Mount Sinai Beth Israel to "cease and desist" from closing beds and services without approval of the department.

A Florida nurse practitioner faces 20 years in prison for a $192 million Medicare fraud scheme that left her ordering more cancer genetic tests than any other provider in the United States. 

From Community Health Network agreeing to a $345 million settlement to resolve allegations dating to 2008, to Seattle Children's Hospital suing the Texas attorney general, here are 10 hospital lawsuits, settlements and legal developments Becker's has reported since Dec. 14.  

An Iowa pharmacy filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group and its pharmacy benefit manager, accusing the company of "unconscionable" DIR fees. 

Seattle Children's Hospital has filed a lawsuit against the Texas Office of the Attorney General after the agency requested documents related to gender transition policies and such care provided to Texas children, NBC affiliate KXAN reported Dec. 20.  

Two nurses were assaulted in separate incidents Dec. 18 at Miriam Hospital in Providence, R.I., part of Lifespan, hospital and police confirmed to Becker's.

Alexander Rovt, PhD, chair of the board of trustees of One Brooklyn Health, a financially struggling health system that runs three private hospitals in New York City, faces a lawsuit over a September board vote to oust the organization's CEO, Politico reported Dec. 20.

The operator of a marketing company pleaded guilty to his role in a scheme that resulted in more than $127 million in fraudulent claims being submitted to healthcare benefit programs for durable medical equipment.  

On Dec. 19, a federal judge permitted a lawsuit to proceed with four claims against Microsoft and Qualtrics related to the two companies' acquisition of private health data from Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente patients. 

Watsonville (Calif.) Community Hospital's liquidation trustee Jeremy Rosenthal has reportedly filed a lawsuit against three executives of Halsen Healthcare, the company that formerly owned the hospital, accusing them of draining its funds for personal use, improper payments, negligent operations and more, the Santa Cruz Sentinel reported Dec. 19. 

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau shut down Commonwealth Financial Systems for illegally trying to collect unverified medical debts after consumers disputed the validity of the debt.

Florida lawmakers have proposed measures to redirect patients from hospital emergency departments as part of a healthcare package for 2024. The state's relationship to Medicaid is one influence on the possibility of added regulations. 

Scripps Clinical Medical Group in San Diego agreed to pay nearly $6.9 million to settle discrimination allegations over a mandatory retirement age for physicians, according to a Dec. 19 news release from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Indianapolis-based Community Health Network has agreed to a $345 million settlement to resolve allegations that, dating back to 2008, it violated the False Claims Act and Stark law.

McKesson Medical-Surgical filed suit against a former account executive, alleging he used confidential information to attract clients to his new employer, Arkansas Business reported Dec. 18. 

A Pennsylvania pain clinic CEO was sentenced to 30 months in prison for her role in a scheme to defraud Medicare and HHS. 

Warwick, R.I.-based Kent Hospital, an affiliate of Care New England Health System, has agreed to a $35,000 settlement under the Americans with Disabilities Act following a patient complaint. 

Walnut Creek, Calif.-based John Muir Health is calling off its plans to acquire San Ramon (Calif.) Regional Medical Center from majority owner Tenet Healthcare. 

The U.S. Attorney's Office has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act against Steward Health Care System and its subsidiaries, alleging violations of the physician self-referral law and submission of false claims to Medicare. 

The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice have unveiled their 2023 merger guidelines, which break down the agencies' factors and frameworks that are utilized when going over merger and acquisition approvals.