From the Supreme Court upholding the ACA to San Diego-based Scripps Health facing four class-action suits over an April 29 malware attack, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. UPMC to settle lawsuit over pension error allegations
Pittsburgh-based UPMC has agreed to settle a $100 million civil lawsuit accusing a Cleveland-based financial services and insurance company of underestimating the health system's pension liability.
2. Reversed ruling reignites Aetna-Optum 'dummy code' lawsuit
The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a decision June 22 that puts Aetna and Optum back in hot water for allegedly using "dummy code" that disguised administrative charges as billable medical fees.
3. Scripps faces 4 class-action lawsuits over ransomware data breach: 7 notes
Four class-action lawsuits have been filed against Scripps Health after an April 29 malware attack that exposed more than 147,000 patients' health information.
4. Express Scripts sues US for $43M
Express Scripts, the pharmacy benefit management arm of Cigna, filed a lawsuit June 22 against the United States, alleging that the Internal Revenue Service refused to pay the company $43 million in tax returns.
5. State Supreme Court upholds legality of Colorado hospital fees
The Colorado Supreme Court declined to hear a case challenging the legality of hospital fees also known as a "bed tax" in other states. The decision by the state Supreme Court ends a six-year battle over the fees and keeps a lower court ruling in place.
6. Supreme Court dismisses ACA challenge
The ACA remains intact after the highest U.S. court rejected a legal challenge to the law.
7. Physician stabbed by patient sues Pennsylvania Hospital, alleges safety issues
A Pennsylvania Hospital physician who was stabbed multiple times by a patient in February sued the hospital June 16. The complaint alleges Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Hospital and its health system, Penn Medicine, failed to take steps that would have prevented the attack and disregarded employee safety.
8. Former Iowa DHS director sues governor, claims he was fired after calling out Medicaid fraud
Former Iowa Department of Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven filed a lawsuit against Gov. Kim Reynolds, alleging that she terminated him after he refused to pay one of her aides with federal Medicaid money.
9. Unvaccinated Houston Methodist employees appeal dismissal of vaccine mandate lawsuit
Unvaccinated employees at Houston Methodist have appealed a federal judge's dismissal of a lawsuit over the health system's COVID-19 vaccination mandate.
10. Massachusetts nursing home ordered to pay $90K settlement over neglect resulting in patient death
Milton (Mass.) HC Operating must pay a $90,000 settlement to resolve allegations that it neglected a resident, which resulted in death, and failed to comply with regulations requiring certain protocols in emergency situations.
11. Mississippi first state to sue drugmakers, PBMs over 'egregiously inflated' insulin cost
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch is suing some of the country's largest insulin makers and pharmacy benefit managers, accusing them of working together to artificially inflate diabetes drug prices for profit. The move is the first time a state has named both drugmakers and PBMs in a joint lawsuit over insulin costs.