From a for-profit hospital operator facing an antitrust lawsuit to a California hospital settling false claims allegations, here are the latest hospital lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. ProMedica can end rival's insurance contracts, court rules
A panel from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on Aug. 10 vacated a preliminary injunction that barred Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica from dropping its insurance contracts with McLaren St. Luke's Hospital in Maumee, Ohio, and the hospital's physician group.
2. HCA hit with antitrust lawsuit
A group of Western North Carolina residents filed a class-action antitrust lawsuit alleging that Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare engaged in anticompetitive tactics that resulted in higher prices and lower quality care for patients.
3. California hospital to pay $11.4M, settle whistleblower allegations
San Mateo (Calif.) Medical Center will pay $11.4 million to resolve allegations of improperly submitting claims for inpatient admissions.
4. VA whistleblowers who reported employee's COVID-19 death to OSHA claim execs retaliated
Two Aurora, Colo.-based Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center employees claim the VA is a hostile work environment and that hospital leadership retaliated against them for reporting an employee's COVID-19-related death.
5. Ascension Michigan settles with feds over alleged unnecessary chemo, hysterectomies
Ascension Michigan has agreed to pay the federal government $2.8 million to resolve false claims allegations regarding claims to federal healthcare programs for unnecessary chemotherapy and hysterectomies performed by a gynecologic oncologist.