From a judge blocking an HHS rule that would have required pharmaceutical companies to include list prices in TV ads to physicians accusing a South Dakota health system of defrauding Medicare, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. 3 hospitals tied to $57M money laundering scandal
Two hospitals in Florida and one in Georgia are among those linked to a $57 million money laundering conspiracy associated with a pass-through billing scheme.
2. Judge blocks HHS rule requiring drug prices in TV ads
A federal judge blocked an HHS rule that would force pharmaceutical companies to include the list prices of their drugs in direct-to-consumer advertisements.
3. Rennova CEO sues Tennessee lawmaker for $100K over derogatory remarks
Rennova Health President and CEO Seamus Lagan sued a Tennessee lawmaker for $100,000, alleging he made false statements aimed at destroying Mr. Lagan's professional and personal life.
4. Chicago hospital let family take stranger off life support, lawsuit claims
Two families sued Chicago-based Mercy Hospital & Medical Center, claiming the facility allowed strangers to take a patient off life support due to a case of mistaken identity.
5. Physicians accuse Sanford Health of defrauding Medicare: 5 things to know
A lawsuit two physicians filed in 2016 against Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health and one of its neurosurgeons was unsealed after the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Dakota filed a motion to intervene in the case.
6. Nurses claim Kansas hospital owes them $5M in docked overtime pay
Employees altered nurses' timecards to dock their overtime pay at Overland Park, Kan.-based Menorah Medical Center, according to a class-action lawsuit filed the week of July 1.
7. Encompass Health will pay $48M to settle false claims allegations
Birmingham, Ala.-based Encompass Health, the largest operator of inpatient rehabilitation facilities in the U.S., agreed to pay $48 million to resolve false claims allegations.
8. Mayo Clinic, IRS face off in federal court
A federal judge was briefed July 1 on dueling motions for summary judgment in a lawsuit Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic filed against the IRS more than two years ago.
9. UK firm agrees to record $1.4B payout in US opioid fraud lawsuit
Reckitt Benckiser Group, a U.K. consumer goods company, will pay $1.4 billion to resolve allegations that the company profited by deceiving healthcare providers about the safety of its opioid-addiction treatment.
10. Some Beaumont nurses sue hospital for alleged union interference
Some nurses filed a lawsuit July 9 against Royal Oak, Mich.-based Beaumont Hospital for allegedly interfering with workers' efforts to unionize.
11. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sues to block New York's ban on religious vaccine exemptions
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on July 10 filed a lawsuit against New York, claiming the state's new law banning religious exemptions for school vaccinations is unconstitutional.
12. IVF clinic gave mother wrong embryos, lawsuit claims
A New York couple claims the mother was impregnated with the wrong embryos in a lawsuit filed against Los Angeles-based CHA Fertility Clinic the week of July 1.
13. 6 takeaways from the ACA hearing
A panel of judges heard oral arguments in a federal appeals court July 9 on the constitutionality of the ACA. The judges' decision could affect health insurance coverage for millions of Americans.
14. Third physician says he was punished for complaining about patient safety at New York hospital
Herbert Kunkle Jr., MD, is now the third physician to file a lawsuit against Auburn Community Hospital for allegedly punishing him for complaining about patient safety issues.
More articles on legal and regulatory issues:
CMS releases EMTALA guidance: 5 takeaways
Penn Medicine settles false claims allegations
Ex-pharmacy director sentenced to 4 years for embezzling $4M from Nebraska children's hospital