Hasan Gokal, MD, who was fired after administering expiring COVID-19 vaccine doses, is suing Harris County Public Health for $1 million for allegedly launching a misinformation campaign and discriminating against him based on his ethnicity, according to a Sept. 22 Washington Post report.

Federal prosecutors are increasingly turning to the HIPAA subpoena to support investigations as the Justice Department continues to crack down on criminal healthcare cases, according to a Sept. 21 JD Supra report. 

A California woman was sentenced Sept. 21 to three years of probation for her role in a multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud scheme that exposed the private data of more than 500,000 patients, according to the Justice Department. 

A physician in Michigan was convicted Sept. 22 in a more than $100 million healthcare fraud and money laundering scheme, and he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, according to the Justice Department. 

Judge David Hurd, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, has extended a temporary restraining order on New York state's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers claiming religious exemption to Oct. 12, according to news station WHEC.

Employees of Our Lady of Lourdes Regional and Ochsner Lafayette General medical centers are suing to halt COVID-19 vaccination requirements, according to The Acadiana Advocate.

A Tempe, Ariz.-based nurse assistant allegedly stole the identities of her patients to sign lease agreements on apartment rentals and purchase a new car, according to the Tempe Police Department, NBC affiliate KPNX reported Sept. 17. 

The Justice Department criminally charged 138 people, including 42 medical professionals, for their alleged participation in healthcare schemes involving about $1.4 billion in fraudulent billings.

As more hospitals, health systems and states have mandated COVID-19 vaccination, medical workers have filed lawsuits contesting the policies. 

A U.S. district court on Sept. 16 approved an antitrust settlement agreement between the Justice Department, Geisinger and Evangelical Community Hospital, according to The Daily Item.

A former human resource coordinator and the owner of a recruiting company have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud two hospital management companies, the Justice Department announced Sept. 10. 

A Kentucky hospital is not required to administer ivermectin to a patient despite a lawsuit from the patient's wife demanding the hospital do so, a judge ruled Sept. 15, according to The Washington Post. 

Ashish Pal, MD, an Orlando, Fla.-based cardiologist, paid $6.75 million to resolve allegations from the Justice Department that he violated the False Claims Act by performing medically unnecessary procedures for profit.

A federal court has granted 17 medical workers' motion for a temporary restraining order against the governor and the state Department of Health regarding New York's COVID-19 vaccine mandate that excludes religious exemptions, according to court documents filed Sept. 14.

Midland (Texas) Memorial Hospital agreed to pay $555,141 to resolve allegations that it improperly submitted claims to the COVID-19 uninsured program, according to the HHS' Office of the Inspector General.

Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center has won a lawsuit filed by a former medical resident who said the system was obligated to defend him against claims that he snooped in his ex-wife's EHR during their divorce, according to a Sept. 13 Nashville Tennessean report.

About 50 employees have dropped a lawsuit against Henry Ford Health System that alleged the Detroit-based organization's COVID-19 vaccine mandate is unconstitutional, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige signed an executive order Sept. 1 granting all healthcare workers and facilities immunity from civil liability during the pandemic, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Sept. 9.

Moorestown, N.J.-based Bayada Home Health Care will pay $17 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the anti-kickback statute in its purchase of two home health agencies, the U.S. Justice Department said Sept. 8. 

The North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper recently signed a bill that will make changes to the state's certificate-of-need law.