From a judge halting a hospital merger in Maine to a medical equipment company settling False Claims Act allegations, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. Judge halts Maine hospital merger
A judge put a hold on the proposed merger of Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, and Northern Light Health in Brewer, Maine.
2. Iowa hospital sues Medicaid insurers over ED reimbursement
Virginia Gay Hospital, a critical access hospital in Vinton, Iowa, sued three private insurers managing Iowa's Medicaid program for allegedly recouping overpayments.
3. CHI allegedly defrauded of millions by IT employee, 2 others
A federal grand jury indicted three men on Oct. 11 on multiple counts of fraud and money laundering for allegedly defrauding Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiatives.
4. Aetna's $50M overbilling case against medical group moves forward
A federal judge denied Sunrise, Fla.-based Mednax's motion to dismiss Aetna's lawsuit alleging the medical group inflated bills for neonatal care.
5. Medical equipment company will pay $5.2M to settle false billing allegations
Prestonsburg, Ky.-based Cooley Medical Equipment agreed to pay $5.25 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act.
6. AHA, HHS present court arguments on Medicare appeals backlog: 7 things to know
The American Hospital Association and three member facilities made oral court arguments Oct. 23 in a lawsuit against HHS over the Medicare appeals backlog.
7. Maryland asks Supreme Court to uphold law against generic drug price-gouging
Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a state law designed to combat price-gouging of generic drugs.
8. Contracted physicians at Ascension All Saints accused of overbilling Medicare, Medicaid
A physician filed a federal whistle-blower lawsuit against TeamHealth, the contracted anesthesiology group at Ascension All Saints Hospital in Racine, Wis., alleging the hospital staffing firm overbilled Medicare and Medicaid millions through its subsidiary Racine Anesthesia Services.
9. NJ community hospital settles with BCBS after alleging it was pushed out of market
Ridgewood, N.J.-based Valley Hospital settled with Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey the day before a trial was set to begin on allegations that the insurer pushed smaller community hospitals out of the market.
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