The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued an advisory opinion on Oct. 1 warning debt collectors — including third-party revenue cycle management companies — that they are violating federal law when they collect on inaccurate or invalid medical debts. 

A $400 million fraud and kickback case against former Tenet Healthcare executives may finally advance to trial after federal investigators received the green light to use statements from 10 alleged co-conspirators, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Sept. 30.

A hospital, a laboratory, three lab employees, a referring physician and his office manager agreed to collectively pay more than $7.2 million to resolve allegations they defrauded healthcare programs through unnecessary or tainted laboratory testing. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1300 into law Sept. 28, which requires hospitals to notify the state when planning to close labor and delivery or psychiatric units, according to a Sept. 29 CalMatters report. 

The owner of three Ohio-based home healthcare companies was convicted on all 13 charges against her in a Medicaid fraud scheme. 

The former CFO and president of a New Jersey-based pharmacy pleaded guilty to their roles in a $33 million compounded medication kickback scheme.

New Jersey state Attorney General Matt Platkin filed a lawsuit on  Sept. 26 against Virtua Health and its network of hospitals in Voorhees, Mount Holly and Camden, alleging that the Marlton, N.J.-based health system's drug-testing policy for pregnant patients is discriminatory and violates patients' privacy.

Franklin, Tenn.-based Acadia Healthcare has agreed to pay $19.85 million to settle allegations that it submitted false claims for unnecessary behavioral health services, the Justice Department said Sept. 26. 

Hayti, Mo.-based Pemiscot Memorial Health Systems is being sued by its former CEO after she claimed she faced discrimination and retaliation.

Officials from 21 states, led by Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, have accused the American Academy of Pediatrics of potentially failing to adhere to consumer protections with respect to gender care policies.

The full Senate voted unanimously during a Sept. 25 hearing to hold Dallas-based Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre, MD, in contempt. This is the first time since 1971 that the Senate has held someone in criminal contempt. 

Independence Health System has fired four individuals who worked at its Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg, Pa., following the alleged sharing of inappropriate patient images.

Seven people have been indicted for their alleged roles in a more than $40 million Medicare and Medicaid fraud scheme. 

On Sept. 23, the Federal Trade Commission published a redacted lawsuit it recently filed against three pharmacy benefit managers and group purchasing organizations. Here is what to know:

A U.S. appeals court has reinstated more than 500 lawsuits against drugmaker Merck & Co. because of its osteoporosis drug Fosamax, which plaintiffs allege increases risk of thigh bone fractures, according to court documents reviewed by Becker's.

From the FTC suing the nation's three largest pharmacy benefit managers to Epic facing an antitrust lawsuit, here are 10 healthcare industry lawsuits, settlements and legal developments that Becker's has reported since Sept. 13: 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new law Sept. 20 that prohibits social media platforms from delivering addictive feeds to children beginning in 2027, unless the platform has verified that the user is not a minor or has obtained verifiable parental consent.

After weeks of internal disagreements at the Federal Trade Commission about pharmacy benefit managers, the agency said Sept. 20 that it is suing CVS Caremark, Optum Rx and Express Scripts over allegedly inflating insulin prices. 

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging that Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville (Ark.) refused to allow an employee to perform his surgical technician job duties because of his sex.

From Walgreens agreeing to pay more than $100 million to settle false claims allegations, to a physician indicted in an alleged $32.7 million Medicare scheme, here are 10 healthcare billing fraud cases Becker's has reported since Sept. 10: