The following is a roundup of recently reported healthcare industry lawsuits, lawsuit updates, settlements and resolutions, starting with the most recent.
1. Gilead Sciences hit with antitrust suit over Sovaldi pricing
The Southern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or Septa, filed a lawsuit against Foster City, Calif.-based Gilead Sciences, the maker of $1,000-per-pill hepatitis C drug Sovaldi, accusing the company of "price-gouging."
2. Health Diagnostic Laboratory pursues dismissal of Cigna's $84M lawsuit
Richmond, Va.-based Health Diagnostic Laboratory is seeking dismissal of a lawsuit filed by Cigna, which alleges the clinical laboratory defrauded the health insurer out of $84 million.
3. Target ruled negligent for massive holiday data breach: What does this mean for data breach precedent?
A U.S. District Judge in Minnesota ruled financial organizations that have spent large sums of money replacing compromised customer credit and debit cards can proceed with a lawsuit against Minneapolis-based Target Corp., which experienced what may have been the largest consumer data breach ever.
4. Judge calls whistle-blower a 'bounty hunter,' dismisses FCA suit against pharmacy
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit alleging Ukrainian Village Pharmacy in Chicago violated the False Claims Act by giving customers caviar and Russian language TV Guides, as well as waiving co-payments.
5. Rite Aid pays $2.99M for allegedly using gift cards to get Medicare, Medicaid business
Camp Hill, Pa.-based retail drugstore chain Rite Aid paid the federal government $2.99 million to resolve allegations it improperly used gift cards as inducements to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries to transfer their prescriptions to Rite Aid pharmacies in violation of the False Claims Act.
6. Class-action lawsuit accuses Providence Health & Services of skirting federal pension law
Employees of Renton, Wash.-based nonprofit Providence Health and Services filed a class-action lawsuit claiming the 34-hospital system underfunded their pension plans.
7. PPACA challenge based on tax issue heard by appeals court
A case challenging the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was heard by a three-judge panel from 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.
8. Aetna sues Highmark over Jefferson Hospital contract
Pittsburgh-based Highmark did not renew its contract with health insurer Aetna for JeffersonHospital in Jefferson Hills, Pa., and Aetna filed a motion for an emergency hearing on whether the termination was a violation of specifications provided by Pennsylvania's Insurance Department when Highmark acquired West Penn Allegheny Health System in 2013.
9. UMass faces class-action lawsuit for data breach
Worcester, Mass.-based UMassMemorialMedicalCenter was hit with a lawsuit from a data breach victim who refused the hospital's offer to fund a year of free credit monitoring.
10. Dozens of physicians allegedly involved in $130M kickback scheme
A lawsuit filed by a former CFO of Plaza Health Network — a nonprofit network of rehabilitation, skilled nursing and long-term care centers based in Miami Beach, Fla. — alleges Plaza Health was involved in a $130 million False Claims Act and physician kickback scheme.
11. House Republicans sue Obama administration over PPACA: 5 things to know
House Republicans filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration focused on two parts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
12. DOJ requests records from UPMC in False Claims Act case
The U.S. Department of Justice requested records from Pittsburgh-based UPMC regarding a lawsuit filed under the qui tam, or whistle-blower, provisions of the False Claims Act.
13. Judge orders insurance companies to pay Lifespan $30M as reimbursement after judgment
A judge ordered two insurance companies to pay out their policies to Providence, R.I.-based Lifespan.
14. Judge rules D.C. Health Link can continue to collect tax from insurers to fund $29M budget
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled D.C. Health Link, WashingtonD.C.'s health insurance exchange, can continue its practice of collecting a 1 percent tax from insurers.
15. California expanding Medicaid, but some beneficiaries left without coverage
The WesternCenter on Law and Poverty, along with several other advocacy groups, filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Health Care Services claiming Medi-Cal beneficiaries are being unfairly dropped from coverage.
More articles on health law:
Lawmakers urge high court to hear PPACA 'death panel' challenge
Trends in hospital professional liability claims: 5 things to know
Identifying trends in False Claims Act enforcement