From 38 hospitals suing HHS over a site-neutral payment policy to Walgreens paying $269 million to settle two healthcare fraud lawsuits, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. Ex-Florida hospital director admits role in $1B fraud scheme
The former director of outreach programs at Larkin Community Hospital in South Miami, Fla., faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty in Florida federal court Jan. 23 to her role in a $1 billion fraud scheme.
2. Optum sues to protect trade secrets from Amazon-Berkshire-JPMorgan venture
Optum, the rapidly growing health services unit of UnitedHealth Group, filed a lawsuit seeking to protect its trade secrets from a healthcare venture launched by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase.
3. 10 employees hit NewYork-Presbyterian with $15M discrimination suit
Ten current and former employees sued New York City-based NewYork-Presbyterian for $15 million after an operating room director at the system's hospital in Queens allegedly discriminated against them for a variety of reasons, including sexual orientation, age and gender.
4. 38 hospitals sue HHS over site-neutral payment policy
Thirty-eight hospitals filed a lawsuit against HHS Jan. 18, alleging HHS Secretary Alex Azar overstepped his authority when he finalized a policy that will cut Medicare payments for hospital outpatient visits.
5. J&J pays $120M to settle charges of deceptive hip-implant marketing
Johnson & Johnson will pay $120 million to resolve allegations that it used deceptive marketing techniques to sell its metal-on-metal hip implants.
6. Supreme Court upholds patent law language in major win for generic drugmakers
In a major win for generic drugmakers, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld disputed language in a patent law that could make patents easier to cancel.
7. Walgreens pays $269M to settle billing fraud lawsuits
Walgreens Boots Alliance agreed to pay $269.2 million to settle two healthcare fraud lawsuits, alleging the company overbilled government payers.
8. CVS forced hospitals to drop CaptureRx services, lawsuit charges
CaptureRx, a San Antonio-based 340B program administrator, is suing CVS Health for allegedly violating antitrust laws by engaging in anticompetitive behavior.
More articles on legal and regulatory issues:
UnitedHealth sues dozens of drug companies for price-fixing
Pennsylvania hospital, 3 execs tied to criminal probe
CHOP sues over 'misappropriation' of its research: 4 things to know