From a North Carolina hospital's former finance director allegedly stealing more than $3 million to pharmacies accused of failing to report accurate drug prices to government payers, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. North Carolina county targets 24 drug companies with opioid lawsuit
An attorney representing Surry County filed a 165-page federal lawsuit Dec. 29, naming 24 drug manufacturers, distributors and their subsidiaries as defendants.
2. Federal lawsuit: Duke, UNC agreed not to hire each other's physicians
Arguments began Thursday in a federal lawsuit brought by a radiologist who claims North Carolina's two largest academic medical centers agreed not to hire each other's faculty.
3. Ex-director of finance accused of embezzling $3M from North Carolina hospital
High Point (N.C.) Regional Hospital's former director of finance is accused of stealing more than $3 million from the hospital between Jan. 1, 2003, and Aug. 15, 2017.
4. Kmart will pay $32.3M to resolve prescription drug fraud claims
Kmart, a subsidiary of Sears Holdings, agreed to pay $32.3 million to the federal government to resolve allegations its pharmacies failed to report accurate prescription drug prices to government payers.
5. Lawsuit: Pennsylvania hospital ignored patient's pleas for identification, wrongly injected him with antipsychotic drugs
Clinicians at Meadville (Pa.) Medical Center wrongly injected Eugene Wright with antipsychotic medications in a case of mistaken identity, according to a lawsuit filed Jan. 3 by Mr. Wright
6. eClinicalWorks faces 2nd class action lawsuit alleging clinics had to forgo meaningful use incentives due to faulty software
Carrollton Family Clinic in North Carrollton, Miss., filed a lawsuit against eClinicalWorks, alleging its system failed to meet the requirements of meaningful use, which caused the clinic to forfeit incentive payments in 2014 and lose out on more money in 2017.
7. Erlanger reaches settlement with Georgia county over $8.7M lawsuit
Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Erlanger Health System reached a settlement with Walker County (Ga.) over an unpaid debt.
8. Lawyers in $100M Medicare fraud case argue opthamologist may have lied, but only to use experimental treatments
Salomon Melgen, MD, was convicted in April of submitting over $100 million in false Medicare claims, but his lawyers argue he may have billed for covered procedures in order to treat patients with more effective experimental procedures.
9. Family blames surgery delay for patient's death
A family filed a lawsuit against Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista, Calif., and a local surgeon, claiming a four-hour delay for an emergency surgery resulted in a patient's death.
10. Physician sues Canadian medical school for allegedly providing 'substandard' residency program
A London, Ontario-based Western University Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry graduate filed an $11 million lawsuit against the university, alleging its residency program provided "substandard education."
More articles on legal and regulatory issues:
DOJ recovers $2.4B in healthcare fraud cases: 4 things to know
Broward Health leaders allege prosecutorial misconduct: 5 things to know
MU Health Care settles class-action lawsuit over payroll practices for $3.6M