From a nurse suing a Michigan health system for discrimination to a Florida medical group settling false claims allegations, these are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. Freestanding ER operators want Google to find out who left them 22 bad online reviews
Two Dallas-based freestanding emergency room operators — Highland Park Emergency Room and Preston Hollow Emergency Room — filed a joint petition in Dallas County District Court seeking to find out who left them 22 negative online reviews.
2. Appeals court reverses $751k award in physician's wrongful termination case
An appeals court in Missouri recently overturned a lower court's order that required Mercy Springfield (Mo.) to pay $751,000 to a physician who claimed she was fired for raising concerns over the hospital's treatment and billing practices.
3. Nurse sues Spectrum Health, claiming system accommodated patient request for no black caregivers
A black nurse claims officials at Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Spectrum Health discriminated against her by granting a patient's request for no black caregivers.
4. DOJ: Personal trainer posed as physician in $25M scheme
A 54-year-old personal trainer was arrested in Fort Worth, Texas, Oct. 12, and charged with engaging in a scheme to defraud insurance companies by submitting more than $25 million in false claims for medical services.
5. Florida medical group will pay $448k to settle false claims allegations
First Coast Cardiovascular Institute in Jacksonville, Fla., agreed to pay $448,821 to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act.
6. DOJ sues Illinois home healthcare center owners over alleged Medicare fraud
The Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit against owners of an Illinois healthcare company alleging they defrauded Medicare millions of dollars.
7. Florida clinic owner arrested for practicing medicine without a license
Police arrested Jose A. Ramirez, the president of Med-Clinic Health Care in Doral, Fla., for practicing medicine without a license.
8. Local residents sue Central Health over 'unlawful use' of taxpayer money to support U of Texas' Dell Medical School
Three local residents are suing Austin, Texas-based Central Health, the local hospital-taxing district, over allegations that taxpayer contributions to Austin-based University of Texas' Dell Medical School were unlawfully utilized.
9. 60+ Wisconsin counties expected to participate in opioid epidemic lawsuit
The Wisconsin Counties Association expects 60 to 70 of the state's 72 counties to join a proposed lawsuit alleging drug companies engaged in fraudulent practices when promoting opioids in the state.
10. Pennsylvania county opioid epidemic lawsuit names 23 defendants
Attorneys representing Beaver County, Pa., filed a lawsuit against nearly two dozen drugmakers, drug distributors and physicians for their alleged roles in the county's spike in opioid-related overdoses.
11. US drops lawsuit against UnitedHealth over alleged billing scheme
The Department of Justice called off its lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group that claimed the Minnetonka, Minn.-based insurer submitted false claims to increase Medicare payments.
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