From Rockledge, Fla.-based Health First settling an antitrust case on the second day of trial to a married couple from New Jersey sentenced to prison for forging physician signatures on diagnostic tests, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. Sisters of Charity sues Palmetto Health over $50M orthopedic practice
Cleveland-based Sisters of Charity Health System, the former owner of Providence Hospital in Columbia, S.C., sued Palmetto Health, alleging the system is responsible for the demise of Providence's $50 million orthopedic practice.
2. Class-action suit against ex-operator of shuttered NC hospital moves forward
A federal judge granted class-action status to a lawsuit filed by three former employees of now-shuttered Yadkin Valley Community Hospital against the hospital's former operator.
3. Pa. physicians, health facilities settle $690k fraud claim
Allentown, Pa.-based Lehigh Valley Pain Management, three physicians and a number of affiliated clinics have agreed to pay approximately $690,000 to the federal government to resolve allegations they improperly billed government agencies.
4. Court rules J&J's patent for autoimmune drug invalid: 6 things to know
Johnson & Johnson took a major blow in its ongoing legal battle with rival drug giant Pfizer over a patent for its best-selling autoimmune drug Remicade. A federal judge ruled that a key patent for the drug is invalid, allowing cheaper biosimilar versions to enter the market.
5. Florida urologist settles fraud allegations
A Fort Myers, Fla.-based physician agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve allegations he violated the False Claims Act by submitting medically unnecessary tests to government payers.
6. Man charged with murder in fatal double shooting at Fla. hospital
A man accused of fatally shooting a patient and employee at Parrish Medical Center in Titusville, Fla., was formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
7. NJ couple sentenced to prison for forging physician signatures on 10k diagnostic tests
A married couple from Rockaway, N.J., was sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for forging physicians signatures and receiving more than $4.8 million from Medicare and private insurers for diagnostic tests and reports that were never interpreted by a licensed physician.
8. Kentucky AG accuses Johnson & Johnson of deceptive marketing of vaginal implants
Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear filed a civil lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and its medical device unit, Ethicon, alleging deceptive marketing of surgical mesh medical devices for women.
9. Health First settles antitrust suit on second day of trial
Rockledge, Fla.-based Health First reached a settlement with Melbourne, Fla.-based Omni Healthcare and a group of physicians, resolving a nearly three-year-old antitrust suit accusing Health First of maintaining a monopoly in southern Brevard County through its ownership of hospitals, physician practices and health insurance plans.
10. Teen accused of posing as physician may use insanity defense
A judge delayed the trial of Malachi Love-Robinson, the 19-year-old accused of posing as a physician.
11. Judge prevents Ohio from cutting Planned Parenthood funding
An Ohio judge rejected a state law that would cut federal taxpayer funding from 28 Planned Parenthood clinics
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