From Sutter Health agreeing to pay $575 million to end an antitrust case to a former nurse accused of secretly recording hundreds of patients at a Pennsylvania hospital, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. Sutter Health to pay $575M to settle antitrust case
Sutter Health, a 24-hospital system based in Sacramento, Calif., agreed to pay $575 million to settle an antitrust case brought by employers and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
2. Former nurse accused of secretly recording 206 patients at UPMC hospital
A former nurse at UPMC Carlisle (Pa.) faces criminal charges for allegedly secretly videotaping 206 patients, including nearly two-dozen minors, while he worked at the hospital, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a Dec. 18 news release.
3. ACA mandate ruled unconstitutional
The ACA's individual mandate to buy health insurance is unconstitutional, according to a Dec. 18 decision from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The court did not issue an opinion on whether the entire law is therefore unconstitutional, instead sending that decision back to a district court judge in Texas to decide.
4. Massachusetts hospital settles false billing case
Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Mass., entered into a settlement with the federal government to resolve the allegation that it submitted claims for medically unnecessary testing to Medicare and Medicaid.
5. Ohio physician charged with murder must face civil lawsuits, court rules
A ruling from an Ohio appeals court earlier this month will allow dozens of wrongful death cases against a physician and an Ohio health system to move forward.
6. Retired CEO of Memorial Healthcare faces sexual harassment allegations
Hollywood, Fla.-based Memorial Healthcare System's former attorney recently added allegations of sexual harassment to a wrongful termination lawsuit filed earlier this year.
7. Pharmacist sues Memphis hospital, alleges racial discrimination
Tracy McGee, PharmD, a pharmacy operations manager at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., is suing the hospital on claims that she was racially discriminated against.
8. 'Hospital of horrors': Children abused, improperly medicated at Chicago facility, lawsuit says
Cook County's public guardian filed a lawsuit Dec. 18 against Chicago Lakeshore Hospital on behalf of seven youths who said they were abused while in state protective custody at the facility.
9. Nonprofit health plans sue Texas over $10B Medicaid contracts
Nonprofit health insurers claimed Texas health officials violated state law by awarding multibillion-dollar Medicaid contracts to only for-profit payers.
10. Michigan sues drugmakers, Walgreens under Drug Dealer Liability Act
The state of Michigan filed a lawsuit Dec. 17 against Walgreens, as well as several top drug companies, categorizing them as drug dealers and accusing them of creating the opioid crisis.
11. Ascension Genesys Hospital, Teamsters sued over nurse's union dues deductions
A nurse is suing the Teamsters union at her workplace and her employer, Ascension Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc, Mich., alleging they illegally rejected her requests to end union dues deductions.
12. UNew Mexico Hospital negligence led to 'massive failure in care,' lawsuit alleges
Testimony in a proposed class-action lawsuit against University of New Mexico Hospital revealed new information about the hospital's oversight of its pediatric oncology program. The case claims the hospital's institutional negligence was partially responsible for a "massive failure in care."
13. US sues CVS, accused of illegally dispensing drugs through Omnicare
The federal government filed a lawsuit Dec. 17 against CVS Health and its subsidiary, Omnicare, alleging Omnicare pharmacies illegally distributed drugs to elderly and disabled residents of thousands of assisted living facilities and violated the False Claims Act.
More articles on legal and regulatory issues:
New York physician sentenced to prison for role in $30M billing scheme
Lawsuit accuses UHS of improperly diverting $100M from hospital
Vermont ACO faces allegations of fraud, faulty data