13 latest healthcare industry lawsuits, settlements

From two former Georgia hospital CEOs fighting criminal charges to 12 home healthcare workers charged in an $87 million Medicaid fraud scheme in Pennsylvania, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.

1. Ex-CEO of medical debt collection firm convicted in $1.5B fraud scheme
The former president and CEO of an investment company and a medical debt collections business was convicted Nov. 27 for his role in a $1.5 billion Ponzi scheme.

2. Lawyers for opioid-addicted newborns want separate lawsuit
Lawyers representing babies born dependent on opioids are seeking to separate their lawsuit from nationwide litigation against opioid manufacturers.

3. Man used fake name to harass Indiana hospital CEO, criticize CHS on Facebook
Craig Sorg, the former director of imaging at Dukes Memorial Hospital in Peru, Ind., apologized for using a fake identity to torment employees of Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Lutheran Health Network on Facebook. The public apology was part of a settlement Lutheran and its parent company, Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, reached with Mr. Sorg.

4. Hackers indicted in SamSam ransomware attacks on Allscripts, hospitals
A grand jury in New Jersey indicted two Iranian hackers in connection with the ransomware campaign that crippled more than 200 organizations, including Allscripts and several hospitals, universities and cities.

5. Former Kaiser Permanente pharmacist faces abuse, privacy invasion charges after camera found in employee bathroom
A fired pharmacist who worked for Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente faces charges that he set up a camera in a pharmacy lab bathroom and secretly recorded people, including a child.

6. 12 charged in $87M Pennsylvania Medicaid fraud scheme
Twelve people working in home healthcare were charged in an $87 million Medicaid fraud scheme in Pennsylvania.  

7. Pennsylvania Supreme Court rules UPMC must protect workers' data
Overturning two lower courts' rulings, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reinstated a lawsuit several employees brought against two University of Pennsylvania medical centers, claiming negligence in connection with a 2014 data breach.

8. 2 former Georgia hospital CEOs fight criminal charges in kickback case
The former CEOs of North Fulton Medical Center in Roswell, Ga., and Atlanta Medical Center face possible prison time in a long-running kickback case.

9. Allergy practice to pay $125K settlement after patient info disclosed to reporter
Allergy Associates of Hartford (Conn.) agreed to pay $125,000 to the HHS Office for Civil Rights and adopt a corrective action plan to settle allegations that a physician improperly disclosed patient information to a reporter in 2015. 

10. New Jersey physician arrested in $20M telemedicine fraud scheme
Burlington, N.J., officials charged Bernard Ogon, MD, for his role in a $20 million telemedicine fraud scheme in which he allegedly prescribed expensive medications to patients who did not need them.

11. Bogus 'government entity' claim by Atrium Health cheats employees on benefits, lawsuit says
Former Atrium Health employees have filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Charlotte, N.C.-based nonprofit system, alleging that it incorrectly identifies as a government entity to exempt itself from legal protections for participation in the company's pension, 401(k) and healthcare plans. 

12. Class-action lawsuits filed over quality of South Carolina drinking water
Two lawsuits were filed on behalf of residents of Denmark, S.C., where a CNN investigation revealed a chemical was being added to the water supply for a decade without approval from the Environmental Protection Agency.

13. Oscar files preliminary injunction to halt Florida Blue's 'exclusive' broker policy
Health insurance startup Oscar Health filed a motion for preliminary injunction to stop Florida Blue from enforcing a policy that Oscar said bars Orlando insurance brokers from selling any other insurance if they sell Florida Blue policies.

More articles on legal and regulatory issues:

CHS settles lawsuit against ex-CEO of Indiana hospital
Atrium settles antitrust lawsuit over health plan contracts: 6 things to know
Former employee alleges New Hampshire hospital fired her for accepting Medicaid patient

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