Category: Legal & Regulatory Issues

Skilled nursing facility operator pays $21.3M to settle fraud allegations

Strauss Ventures, doing business as Grand Healthcare System, and 12 skilled nursing facilities will pay $21.3 million to settle allegations they billed federal healthcare programs for services that were unreasonable, unnecessary, unskilled or that did …

State review delays Mount Sinai Beth Israel planned closure

In a decision that came down to the wire, New York City-based Mount Sinai’s Beth Israel hospital will not close July 12 as initially planned. Along with legal challenges, the health system is waiting on the New York State Department of Health’s approva…

UnitedHealth, CVS, Cigna to face FTC lawsuit over PBM practices: WSJ

The Federal Trade Commission is preparing to sue UnitedHealth Group, CVS Health and the Cigna Group over their pharmaceutical benefit managers’ business practices, The Wall Street Journal reported July 10. 

Healthcare billing fraud: 10 recent cases

From a Montana physician pleading guilty to participating in a $39 million scheme to the Justice Department filing charges against nearly 200 people for $2.8 billion in fraud schemes, here are 10 healthcare billing fraud cases Becker’s has reported sin…

Former New York hospital exec charged with $1.5M in credit card fraud

Michael Lucchesi, MD, former chairman of emergency medicine and chief medical officer at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, has been charged with using a business card for nearly $1.5 million in personal purchases a…

Tower Health hospital sues Hill-Rom, alleges 'anticompetitive tactics'

Reading Hospital in West Reading, Pa., filed a class action lawsuit against Hill-Rom, a hospital bed maker, alleging anticompetitive behavior.

Las Vegas business owner sentenced for defrauding hospital

A Las Vegas business owner was sentenced to 21 months in prison for submitting more than $700,000 in false invoices to a Nevada hospital. 

Federal court holds up FTC's noncompete ban

A federal court in Texas has approved a preliminary injunction against the Federal Trade Commission’s sweeping noncompete ban, which, if implemented, would have seismic effects on the healthcare industry and the U.S. economy more broadly.

Biden directs hospitals to perform emergency abortions: 4 EMTALA updates

The Biden administration sent a letter to hospitals July 2, reaffirming they have a “legal duty” under federal law to ensure all patients with emergency medical conditions are offered stabilizing treatment, including abortion when deemed necessary.&nbs…

10 recent healthcare industry lawsuit, settlements

Chevron deference ruling to two health plans filing a proposed class action lawsuit against Hartford HealthCare, here are 10 healthcare industry lawsuits, settlements and legal developments Becker’s reported since June 26: