From a Florida physician network settling a False Claims Act lawsuit to a former health system CEO accused of harassing his replacement, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. Lawsuit: Texas hospital violated HIPAA, mischaracterized lab results to police
St. David's Round Rock (Texas) Medical Center faces allegations of violating HIPAA and misinterpreting lab tests used to support drunk driving charges against a patient.
2. Former West Virginia health system CEO accused of harassing his replacement
Morgantown, W.Va.-based Mon Health System's former president and CEO, who was placed on a leave of absence in February and resigned in March, was charged with harassment.
3. Court clears the way for 277 hospitals to challenge Medicare reimbursements
The U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit held June 29 that a 2013 regulation by HHS imposing a three-year limit on reconsidering Medicare reimbursement decisions does not apply to appeals.
4. Florida physician network pays $1.7M for allegedly misusing billing codes
FWC Urogynecology, a network of urogynecologists throughout Florida, agreed to pay the federal government $1.7 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act.
5. Healthcare CEO gets prison time for role in $19.4M kickback scheme
The former CEO of American Senior Communities, an Indianapolis-based skilled nursing and rehabilitation provider, was sentenced June 29 to nine and a half years in prison for his role in a fraud, kickback and money laundering conspiracy.
6. Memorial Hermann hit with $1M retaliation suit by former employee
A former physician peer review coordinator for Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System sued the health system for $1 million, claiming she was fired in retaliation after she refused to reveal confidential information.
7. Johns Hopkins physician sprayed nurse with patient's bodily fluids, lawsuit claims
A Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Health System nurse filed a lawsuit against a physician colleague alleging the anesthesiologist purposely sprayed him with a patient's body fluid while he was assisting during a surgery.
8. Michigan hospital sues 3 patient relatives over Facebook post: 8 things to know
The Kalkaska County Hospital Authority, the operator of Kalkaska (Mich.) Memorial Health Center, is suing three people over a Facebook post and picketing, claiming the moves caused defamation, tortious interference and an invasion of privacy.
9. Former UPMC employee charged with wrongfully disclosing PHI
A federal grand jury in Pittsburg indicted a former employee of UPMC and Allegheny Health Network, both based in Pittsburgh, on six counts of wrongfully obtaining and disclosing protected health information.
10. Patient says nurse gave her hepatitis C, sues Utah hospital
After receiving a letter from Layton, Utah-based Davis Hospital & Medical Center in 2015 saying a nurse may have exposed her to hepatitis C, a patient who tested positive for the infection is suing the hospital. The lawsuit claims the hospital did not do enough to protect patients from the nurse.
11. Federal judge blocks Kentucky's Medicaid work requirements: 5 things to know
Days before Medicaid work requirements were set to take effect in Kentucky, a federal judge blocked the measure.
More articles on legal and regulatory issues:
15 False Claims Act settlements over $1.5M
Texas hospital settles overtime dispute with 197 ER employees
Ex-CFO, 3 surgeons charged in $950M kickback scheme in California