From a for-profit hospital operator defeating billing fraud claims to an insurance company suing radiology companies and physicians, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. Judge declines Florida request to block federal mandate for healthcare workers
A federal judge denied Florida's request to block a CMS rule requiring vaccination for eligible staff at healthcare facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs.
2. HCA defeats billing fraud claims
A whistleblower failed to adequately allege Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare submitted false claims to government healthcare programs for physical therapy services, a Kansas district court said Nov. 19.
3. Feds ask court to reinstate vaccine-or-test rule for businesses
The Justice Department on Nov. 23 filed an emergency court motion seeking to lift an order halting the Biden administration's vaccine-or-test mandate for private employers
4. Aetna seeks $580K in lawsuit, alleges radiology companies fraudulently billed for COVID-19 testing
Aetna sued several radiology companies and clinicians Nov. 17, alleging they provided unlicensed services, billed for services they didn't perform and upcoded billing to inflate charges linked to COVID-19 testing.
5. Dignity Health to pay $19M to California hospital over ownership transfer dispute
Dignity Health, now part of Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health, will pay $19 million to Sequoia Healthcare District to settle a dispute over the ownership transfer of Redwood City, Calif.-based Sequoia Hospital.
6. Eskenazi Health patient seeks class-action status in suit over May ransomware attack
A patient is seeking class-action status in a lawsuit against Indianapolis-based Eskenazi Health after a May ransomware attack that potentially affected 1.5 million people.
7. Georgia system fired physician for voicing concerns over ED policy, suit says
An emergency physician filed a lawsuit against Warner Robins, Ga.-based Houston Healthcare Nov. 19, claiming he was fired in retaliation for reporting concerns about the system's admitting practices.
8. Supreme Court to hear case on DSH payment calculations
The U.S. Supreme Court is slated to hear a case Nov. 29 that challenges a change made to the way Medicare calculates disproportionate share hospital payments, according to the CommonWealth Fund. DSH payments are given to hospitals that serve a large number of low-income patients.