From a surgeon in Kentucky being charged with making a terrorist threat to Blue Cross being hit with an antitrust lawsuit, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. Federal appeals court: Hospitals can be 'rural' and 'urban' at the same time
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit struck down a federal regulation that made it difficult for hospitals to claim they were "rural" for some purposes and "urban" for others.
2. Battle over Illinois hospital tax exemptions heads back to court
Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Ill., intends to appeal a court ruling issued earlier this month that deemed part of a law that allows nonprofit hospitals to avoid paying property taxes unconstitutional.
3. Lawsuit claims Prospect Medical violated FCC medical debt collection law with robo-dialing
Santa Ana, Calif.-based hospital chain Prospect Medical Group is facing a class-action lawsuit concerning its use of patient cell phone numbers in medical debt collection practices.
4. Kentucky surgeon faces terroristic threat charge
A surgeon at Baptist Health Paducah (Ky.) was arrested after having a melt down during surgery. He was arrested on terroristic threatening and disorderly conduct charges.
5. Rose Radiology settles false claims allegations for $8.7M
Rose Radiology Centers, Inc., in Tampa, Fla., agreed to pay the federal government $8.71 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act.
6. Workers slap Anthem with lawsuit over 401(k) fees
Anthem workers filed a lawsuit claiming the Indianapolis-based health insurer loaded its 401(k) plan with high-fee mutual funds.
7. Blue Cross hit with $40M antitrust lawsuit: 8 things to know
Bristow Endeavor Healthcare — the operator of three medical facilities in Oklahoma, including 30-bed Bristow (Okla.) Medical Center — filed a lawsuit against the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, accusing the health insurer of conspiring with rivals to steer patients away from its facilities.
8. Georgia hospital CEO arrested for prescription drug fraud
Michael Gowder, DDS, CEO of 45-bed Union General Hospital in Blairsville, Ga., was one of six arrested by federal agents as part of a multi-state prescription drug sting.
9. Legionnaires' victims sue McLaren hospital amid Flint water crisis
Four individuals affected by the Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Flint, Mich., filed a lawsuit against McLaren Flint hospital and six state workers, arguing the illness could be attributed to the water crisis.
10. Land of Lincoln Health faces class-action lawsuit from U of C Medicine patients
Two Land of Lincoln policy holders filed a class-action lawsuit against the Chicago-based insurer, accusing the company of fraud after it failed to notify customers it dropped University of Chicago's hospital and physicians from its network for 2016.
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