Nine people, including one pharmacist, were arrested in Houston as part of a pill mill pharmacy case involving $1.5 million worth of opioids and other controlled substances. 

A woman was killed after displaying a handgun and making suicidal comments at Arlington (Texas) Memorial Hospital on Feb. 4, CBS News reported.

After recently rolling back certificate of need laws for hospital construction, lawmakers and advocacy groups are pushing for Georgia to totally repeal the certificate of need process and allow health systems to build new medical centers without proving that the community needs them, The Augusta Chronicle reported Feb. 6.

Omaha-based Nebraska Methodist Health is facing a lawsuit from three former employees who claim the system violated pension law with excess fees and poor scrutiny of its 401(k) performance, according to a Feb. 3 Pensions & Investments report.

The Washington Department of Health is considering legal action against Astria Toppenish (Wash.) Hospital, as the state believes the hospital's closure of its maternity ward is a violation of the hospital's certificate of need, the Yakima Herald-Republic reported Feb. 2.

As the American Hospital Association advocates for national protections for healthcare workers facing violence and intimidation, here are eight pending legal efforts aimed at ensuring safety for this sector's employees. 

A group of nursing students is suing HCI College in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., alleging the school deliberately blocked students from taking the National Council Licensure Examination to inflate passage rates and increase profits.

Three physicians agreed to settle their sexual discrimination lawsuit against Delta (Colo.) Health, the Montrose Daily Press reported Feb. 2.

Portland, Maine-based Northern Light Mercy Hospital and one of its physicians, John Henson, MD, has been ordered by a jury to pay $6.5 million to the parents of a man who died from Lyme disease, Bangor Daily News reported Feb. 2.

A Florida chiropractor and surgeon were convicted of a $31 million scheme to defraud Medicare by billing for medically unnecessary medical equipment. 

A coordinated scheme to sell aspiring nurses fake diplomas and transcripts has allowed more than 2,800 individuals to pass the National Council Licensure Examination without proper training, many of whom went on to gain licensure and employment at healthcare facilities nationwide, federal authorities said. 

The former cardiovascular medical director at Hyannis, Mass.-based Cape Cod Hospital has dropped his lawsuit alleging whistleblower retaliation and defamation, according to a Feb. 1 Cape Cod Times report.

The Texas Medical Association has filed its fourth lawsuit against the federal No Surprises Act, this time challenging a 600 percent hike in administrative fees when seeking dispute resolutions. 

As Johnson & Johnson faces thousands of lawsuits over its now obsolete talc-based baby powder, an appeals court rejected the company's plan to use bankruptcy code Chapter 11 — which allows its unit to take the claims into bankruptcy — according to court documents and The Wall Street Journal. 

A district judge in Texas has dismissed a physician's $25 million defamation case against Houston Methodist Hospital and ordered her to pay attorney fees, according to a hospital statement shared with Becker's. 

A nurse filed suit against Ballad Health, accusing the Johnson City, Tenn.-based system of requiring employees to work through unpaid meal breaks, court documents show. 

Fired MetroHealth President and CEO Akram Boutros, MD, acted beyond his authority by awarding himself $1.98 million in bonuses, the Cleveland-based system said in a court filing, cleveland.com reported Jan. 30. 

A Florida-based marketer pleaded guilty to buying and selling more than 2.6 million Medicare beneficiary identification numbers and other personal identifying information. 

Two New Mexico legislators are co-sponsoring a bill that aims to define and legally enforce nurse-to-patient ratios to help nurses, an overworked and understaffed group, Source New Mexico reported Jan. 30. 

Anita Jackson, MD, 59, an otolaryngologist who practiced in Raleigh, N.C., faces prison time after being convicted of 20 counts, including adulterating medical devices and fabricating health records.