Category: Legal & Regulatory Issues

From Barbie to Garth Brooks: When healthcare donations go awry

Healthcare has long been a favored target of philanthropists, and in most cases, the process is smooth; a new hospital wing is built and named in honor of the donor. However, with millions of dollars changing hands, sometimes donations aren’t as simple…

Wisconsin investigates hospital pharmacist

The Wisconsin pharmacy board is investigating a hospital pharmacist’s license after a federal court charged him for animal cruelty related to research, ABC affiliate WKOW 27 reported Nov. 22. 

Optum faces antitrust lawsuit from California health system

Covina, Calif.-based Emanate Health is accusing UnitedHealth Group’s Optum of pressuring the system not to compete with Optum in the primary care business, and of steering patients away from their physicians who left Optum to join Emanate’s practices.&…

Johns Hopkins All Children's claims juror misconduct after $261M verdict

Lawyers for St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital filed for a retrial on Nov. 22 against a $261 million verdict in a case made famous by a Netflix documentary, alleging that the jury foreman violated stringent conduct rules d…

Motive in New Hampshire hospital shooting still unclear

The motive behind the shooting that killed a New Hampshire hospital security guard Nov. 17 remains unknown days after the police identified the suspect, CBS News reports. 

McLeod Health resolves overtime dispute in $600K settlement

McLeod Health, based in Florence, S.C., has agreed to a $600,000 settlement in a lawsuit brought by employees who claimed that the network deducted pay for meal breaks they were unable to take due to a heavy workload.

Healthcare billing fraud: 10 recent cases

From two pharmacy owners and a physician convicted in a $145 million scheme to two NBA convicted for their roles in a scheme to defraud the league’s healthcare plan, here are 10 healthcare billing fraud cases Becker’s has reported on since Oct. 31:&nbs…

Johns Hopkins All Children's attorney calls $261M verdict a 'mess'

A lawyer for St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital called the $261 million verdict against it in a case made famous by a Netflix documentary a “mess” in asking for a new trial.

US Anesthesia Partners seeks to dismiss FTC's 'flawed' antitrust complaint

U.S. Anesthesia Partners, a private equity-backed group affiliated with more than 4,500 physicians, has filed a motion to dismiss the Federal Trade Commission’s civil complaint alleging that certain USAP business practices violate U.S. competition laws.

New Jersey system's antitrust suit gets green light

A U.S. district judge has rejected West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health’s motion to dismiss an antitrust case filed last year by CarePoint Health, which operates three safety-net hospitals that recently transitioned to nonprofit status.