From a Connecticut hospital sued for discrimination to an Illinois health system agreeing to pay $850,000 to settle workers' overtime lawsuit, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. Hospitals can be sued for battery when patients say 'stop,' appeals court rules
A patient who asks a clinician to stop a procedure and it's feasible to do so can sue for battery if medical staff continue with the treatment, a Massachusetts appeals court said.
2. Creditor seeks to oust hospital chain CEO
A creditor filed a motion in bankruptcy court seeking to oust the CEO of Americore Health, which owns and operates hospitals in Arkansas, Missouri and Pennsylvania.
3. How a Massachusetts hospital's faulty data slashed Medicare payments statewide
On Feb. 11, the District of Columbia federal appeals court held that Massachusetts hospitals can't force HHS to recalculate a wage index that was determined using erroneous data from one hospital. The faulty data caused 39 hospitals across the state to lose an estimated $115 million in 2017.
4. New Jersey facility improperly discharged elderly man in 3-hour Uber ride home, suit claims
A New Jersey woman filed a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit against Twin Cedars Senior Living Feb. 10, alleging that the facility improperly discharged her 81-year-old husband home in a three-hour Uber ride, which ultimately led to his death last year.
5. UPMC, linen service settle lawsuit over mold-related patient deaths
Pittsburgh-based UPMC and linen services provider, Paris Cleaners, settled a lawsuit filed after a mold crisis led to six patient deaths in 2014 and 2015.
6. Illinois health system to pay $850K to end workers' overtime lawsuit
Evanston, Ill.-based NorthShore University HealthSystem agreed to pay $850,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging the health system failed to pay employees overtime when they worked more than 40 hours per week.
7. Yale New Haven Hospital sued over exam policy for employees 70+ years
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing Yale New Haven (Conn.) Hospital, alleging its policy mandating eye and neuropsychological exams for employees age 70 or older who seek medical privileges violates two federal antidiscrimination laws.
8. Ex-ACM Global Laboratory employee illegally viewed patient records hundreds of times, lawsuit says
A former employee at ACM Global Laboratories is facing 215 charges of felony computer trespassing and 215 counts of misdemeanor unauthorized use of a computer for allegedly illegally viewing patients' medical records.
9. UPMC seeks $100M in civil suit over alleged pension error
Pittsburgh-based UPMC and UPMC Altoona (Pa.) are moving forward with a $100 million civil lawsuit accusing a financial services company of underestimating the health system's pension liability.
10. Tenet to pay $1.4M to settle medically unnecessary implant suit
Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare and one of its hospitals in Palm Springs, Calif., will pay $1.41 million to resolve allegations that they knowingly charged Medicare for implanting unnecessary cardiac monitors in patients in violation of the False Claims Act.
11. White River Health faces age discrimination suit
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit Feb. 7 against White River Health System in Batesville, Ark., accusing the system of firing employees over age 72 due to shortcomings in its insurance policy.
12. Florida hospital ordered to pay employees $107K in back wages
Flagler Hospital, a nonprofit hospital in St. Augustine, Fla., will pay $107,185 in back wages to 141 employees for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
13. California hospital pushed end-of-life care on cancer patients, oncologist's lawsuit claims
An oncologist is suing a California medical center, claiming that physicians there pressure patients to opt for end-of-life care and that the hospital has retaliated against him for speaking out against its practices.
14. Georgia city sues Mallinckrodt for 'unconscionable' drug price hikes
The city of Marietta, Ga., is suing Mallinckrodt, claiming the drugmaker illegally blocked competition and charged "exorbitant" and "unconscionable" prices for its drug, Acthar.
15. Judge sides with Aetna in nurse lawsuit
A Connecticut judge affirmed a lower court's ruling in favor of Aetna in a lawsuit over nurse overtime pay.