From a Maryland health system entering into a $35 million settlement to resolve kickback allegations to a physician receiving a seven-year prison sentence for his role in a false billing scheme, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. MedStar will pay $35M to settle kickback allegations
Columbia, Md.-based MedStar Health and two of its hospitals agreed to pay $35 million to resolve allegations that they paid illegal kickbacks to a cardiology group.
2. Connecticut physician sentenced in $5M billing fraud case
A Connecticut physician was sentenced March 18 to more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of healthcare fraud and one count of money laundering in September 2018.
3. CHI Franciscan settles antitrust case: 5 things to know
An antitrust lawsuit filed by the Washington state attorney general against Tacoma, Wash.-based CHI Franciscan will not go to trial.
4. Patient sues Northwestern Medicine after medical records posted on social media
A patient at Winfield, Ill.-based Northwestern Medicine Regional Medical Group is suing the health system and a former employee for allegedly accessing her medical records and posting them on social media.
5. Vanderbilt hit with $25.5M suit over wrong-site surgery
A Tennessee woman filed a lawsuit against Nashville-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center March 19, claiming surgeons operated on her wrong kidney.
6. Ex-CEO of Louisiana hospital's fundraising arm allegedly embezzled $810K
The former president and CEO of Our Lady of the Lake Foundation, the fundraising arm that supports Baton Rouge, La.-based Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, allegedly stole more than $810,000 of donations.
7. UW Health board sued over alleged unfair treatment of female physicians
An anesthesiologist at UW Health in Madison, Wis., filed a lawsuit March 13 against the health system's board of regents and the former head of the anesthesiology department, claiming the institution failed to provide equal opportunity and created a hostile work environment for female physicians.
8. AbbVie hit with class-action lawsuit over its 'patent estate' to protect Humira
A class-action lawsuit was filed against AbbVie for allegedly using patent thickets and colluding with biosimilar drugmakers to maintain a monopoly for its blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis drug Humira.
More articles on legal and regulatory issues:
Former Texas hospital CEO pleads guilty to defrauding 3 major insurers
Pipeline Health accused of acquiring Illinois hospital under false pretenses
New York physician admits to orchestrating $16M false billing scheme