1. Freestanding ER operators want Google to find out who left them 22 bad online reviews
Two Dallas-based freestanding emergency room operators — Highland Park Emergency Room and Preston Hollow Emergency Room — filed a joint petition in Dallas County District Court seeking to find out who left them 22 negative online reviews.
2. Appeals court reverses $751k award in physician’s wrongful termination case
An appeals court in Missouri recently overturned a lower court’s order that required Mercy Springfield (Mo.) to pay $751,000 to a physician who claimed she was fired for raising concerns over the hospital’s treatment and billing practices.
3. Nurse sues Spectrum Health, claiming system accommodated patient request for no black caregivers
A black nurse claims officials at Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Spectrum Health discriminated against her by granting a patient’s request for no black caregivers.
4. DOJ: Personal trainer posed as physician in $25M scheme
A 54-year-old personal trainer was arrested in Fort Worth, Texas, Oct. 12, and charged with engaging in a scheme to defraud insurance companies by submitting more than $25 million in false claims for medical services.
5. Florida medical group will pay $448k to settle false claims allegations
First Coast Cardiovascular Institute in Jacksonville, Fla., agreed to pay $448,821 to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act.
6. DOJ sues Illinois home healthcare center owners over alleged Medicare fraud
The Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit against owners of an Illinois healthcare company alleging they defrauded Medicare millions of dollars.
7. Florida clinic owner arrested for practicing medicine without a license
Police arrested Jose A. Ramirez, the president of Med-Clinic Health Care in Doral, Fla., for practicing medicine without a license.
8. Local residents sue Central Health over ‘unlawful use’ of taxpayer money to support U of Texas’ Dell Medical School
Three local residents are suing Austin, Texas-based Central Health, the local hospital-taxing district, over allegations that taxpayer contributions to Austin-based University of Texas’ Dell Medical School were unlawfully utilized.
9. 60+ Wisconsin counties expected to participate in opioid epidemic lawsuit
The Wisconsin Counties Association expects 60 to 70 of the state’s 72 counties to join a proposed lawsuit alleging drug companies engaged in fraudulent practices when promoting opioids in the state.
10. Pennsylvania county opioid epidemic lawsuit names 23 defendants
Attorneys representing Beaver County, Pa., filed a lawsuit against nearly two dozen drugmakers, drug distributors and physicians for their alleged roles in the county’s spike in opioid-related overdoses.
11. US drops lawsuit against UnitedHealth over alleged billing scheme
The Department of Justice called off its lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group that claimed the Minnetonka, Minn.-based insurer submitted false claims to increase Medicare payments.
More articles on legal and regulatory issues:
Former Cleveland Clinic executive pleads guilty in $2.7M fraud scheme
Police: Man posted video of himself holding gun in Ohio children’s hospital
Cleveland Clinic demands Toby Cosgrove be removed from ballot initiative ads
