From a CVS subsidiary ordered to pay nearly $950 million in a false claims case to the Supreme Court upholding the ACA’s preventive coverage mandate, here are 12 healthcare industry lawsuits, settlements and legal developments that Becker’s has reported since June 25:
1. A federal judge ordered CVS Health subsidiary Omnicare to pay $948.8 million in damages and penalties for submitting fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid claims.
2 The Supreme Court gave President Donald Trump the green light to move forward with his Feb. 11 executive order, which aims to reorganize and reduce staff across the federal government. While not explicitly listed in the ruling, HHS is a federal agency that could face further restructuring in the wake of the decision.
3. Five months after U.S. health agencies temporarily removed what is believed to be hundreds of webpages, a federal judge ruled the agencies overstepped the law.
4. A federal appellate court upheld an Oregon law that gives the Oregon Health Authority the ability to review and block hospital mergers and other major healthcare transactions.
5. A federal court partially ruled in favor of Alignment Healthcare in a legal challenge against CMS, resulting in the Medicare Advantage company’s Arizona HMO star rating being raised from 3.5 to 4 stars.
6. California and 19 other states filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, alleging the agency unlawfully shared Medicaid beneficiaries’ personal health data with immigration enforcement authorities.
7. A jury awarded $27.5 million to the former chief nursing officer of St. Mary Medical Center Long Beach (Calif.) in a retaliation lawsuit.
8. A federal judge rejected Johnson & Johnson’s challenge to block its proposed rebate model under the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
9. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Madison, Wis.-based UW Health is not legally required to engage in collective bargaining with its nurses, upholding November 2022 decisions from the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission.
10. In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act’s preventive care coverage mandate in a 6-3 vote, affirming that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force can continue issuing recommendations for services that must be covered by health insurers without cost-sharing.
11. Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth prevailed in a lawsuit with Colorado’s Medicaid agency over provider fee money.
12. Several Iowa businesses and health plans are suing to block a new state law regulating pharmacy benefit managers, arguing it violates federal law and the Constitution.
