From a teen being arrested for posing as a physician to 51 hospitals across the nation agreeing to a $23 million False Claims Act settlement, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. Healthcare CEO faces life in prison for fraud that led to 2 patient deaths
The CEO and co-owner of a Maryland diagnostics company is facing life in prison after a federal jury convicted him of two counts of healthcare fraud that resulted in death.
2. 51 hospitals pay $23M for alleged overuse of cardiac devices
The Department of Justice inked a deal for more than $23 million with 51 hospitals across the nation — including Cleveland Clinic and San Francisco-based Dignity Health hospitals — to settle False Claims Act allegations related to the implantation of cardiac devices in Medicare patients.
3. UPMC blames familiar foe for delay in $12.5M antitrust settlement
Pittsburgh-based UPMC tentatively agreed last week to pay $12.5 million to settle a long-standing antitrust lawsuit. However, the health giant's rival, Pittsburgh-based Highmark, could delay the settlement agreement.
4. Pfizer's Wyeth unit to pay $784.6M to settle False Claims Act violations
Pfizer said its Wyeth unit agreed to pay a $784.6 million settlement for cases related to the calculation of Medicaid rebates for a gastric drug sold between 2001 and 2006.
5. St. Mary's surgeon files defamation lawsuit against CNN for 'reckless disregard for the truth'
The heart surgeon at the center of the CNN exposé in early June that led to the closing of St. Mary's Hospital's pediatric heart surgery program and the resignation of hospital CEO David Carbone fired back against the cable news network with a lawsuit alleging defamation.
6. Teen poses as physician again, this time at his own fake medical office
Florida teenager Malachi Love-Robinson, is accused of pretending to be a physician for the second time in just over a year.
7. NJ physician accused of submitting false claims settles for $5.25M
A Westfield, N.J.-based physician, Labib E. Riachi, MD, agreed to pay the federal government $5.25 million to resolve allegations that he and two of his companies fraudulently billed federal healthcare programs for tests that were never provided.
8. Ohio air ambulance company sues Medical Mutual for $3.5M
Air Evac Lifeteam sued Medical Mutual of Ohio, claiming the payer owes $3.5 million in unpaid bills for its air ambulance services.
9. IPA sues Wellmont Health for allegedly trying to drive it out of business: 6 things to know
Highland Physicians, a Kingsport, Tenn.-based independent practice association, sued local Wellmont Health System, claiming the system spent six years working to destroy the association.
10. 2-decade Cigna lawsuit involving 27k employees nears finish
In 1998, employees and former employees of Cigna sued the Bloomfield, Conn.-based health insurer for changes to its pension plan. Now, the lawsuit is drawing to a close.
11. Chicago con man impersonates psychiatrist, writes dozens of patients prescriptions
A Chicago man was charged in federal court for impersonating a psychiatrist and making dozens of fraudulent medication prescriptions.
12. Retirees file class-action lawsuit to halt healthcare changes
Wayne Country, Mich., retirees filed a lawsuit against the county to stop healthcare alterations they claim could potentially cost them thousands of dollars annually.
13. Norwalk Hospital to pay nearly $1M to settle false claims allegations
Norwalk Hospital in Fairfield County, Conn., agreed to pay the federal government $920,000 to settle accusations that it falsely billed Medicare while treating patients for osteoporosis.
14. Appeals court upholds prior express consent in robo-dialing suit
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld a lower court's ruling that a medical debt collection company did not violate the Telephone Consumer Protection Act when it robo-dialed patients who gave "prior express consent."
15. Device manufacturer faces $5M lawsuit after infection scare
Patients notified of potential infection due to bacterial exposure during open-heart surgery at WellSpan York (Pa.) Hospital and Penn State Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center filed a class-action lawsuit against device manufacturer LivaNova, seeking damages in excess of $5 million.
16. Union suit against Kaiser takeover of Maui hospitals dismissed: 4 things to know
A federal judge threw out a union lawsuit that could have been a potential roadblock for Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente to manage the three state-owned hospitals in Hawaii.
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