From a physician entering a plea deal for his role in a $60 million fraud scheme to a judge approving Anthem's $115 million data breach settlement, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. Physician reaches plea deal in $60M fraud scheme that allegedly involved accelerating patient deaths
A physician at Novus, a shuttered hospice provider in Frisco, Texas, has reached a plea deal for his role in a $60 million fraud scheme that federal prosecutors say involved fatally overdosing patients for profit.
2. Family sues Oklahoma hospital for HIPAA violation after toddler's death
A couple is suing McAlester (Okla.) Regional Health Center for violating their adopted 1-year-old son's federal privacy rights after his 2016 drowning death.
3. Court dismisses Chicago hospital's defamation lawsuit against Leapfrog
A Cook County Circuit Court judge dismissed Chicago-based Saint Anthony Hospital's defamation lawsuit against Leapfrog.
4. Physician group sues 383-bed New York hospital for poaching physicians
Crystal Run Healthcare, a multispecialty physician group in Middletown, N.Y., filed a lawsuit Aug. 23 accusing Middletown-based Orange Regional Medical Center, its affiliated physician practice and its parent company of poaching physicians to become the dominant healthcare provider in the region.
5. Judge approves Anthem's $115M data breach settlement
A federal district judge in California approved a $115 million settlement to resolve a 2015 data breach at Anthem that exposed 78 million members' personal information.
6. Michigan physician charged in alleged $10M fraud scheme
A physician in Michigan was charged for her alleged role in a $10 million fraud scheme.
7. Former billing director of clinic network arrested on Medicaid fraud charges
Authorities arrested the former billing director of a five-state clinic network on two counts of Medicaid fraud Aug. 20.
8. New York physician gets prison time for role in $30M billing scheme
A physician was sentenced to one year and a day in prison for participating in a $30 million scheme to defraud Medicare and the New York State Medicaid Program.
9. Tucson hospital sues 25 pharma companies, distributors over opioid crisis
Tucson (Ariz.) Medical Center on Aug. 22 filed a 270-page lawsuit against at least 25 drug manufacturers and distributors, claiming they negligently and fraudulently created the opioid crisis affecting communities nationwide.
10. Oklahoma hospital, Aetna accuse management company of billing fraud
Shattuck, Okla.-based Newman Memorial Hospital and Aetna filed lawsuits against People's Choice Hospital, an Oak Brook, Ill.-based management company, alleging People's Choice committed billing fraud.
More articles on legal and regulatory issues:
Ex-CEO pleads guilty in kickback case involving California health clinics
Illinois physician claims imitator wrecked his career
Cigna prevails in Texas hospital's suit over $50M in unpaid claims