1. Illinois dermatologist sentenced to 7 years in prison
A dermatologist with a practice in Lombard, Ill., was sentenced to seven years in prison for defrauding Medicare and private insurers by submitting false claims for thousands of patients that totaled more than $3.7 million.
2. Former Highmark CEO hits health insurer with $32M lawsuit
Kenneth Melani, MD, former president and CEO of Pittsburgh-based Highmark, filed a $32 million lawsuit against his former employer.
3. Whistle-blower claims 2 NC hospitals bilked Medicare for millions; government bows out of lawsuit
A newly unsealed whistle-blower lawsuit alleges two major hospitals in North Carolina artificially inflated their expenses to fraudulently obtain tens of millions of dollars from Medicare and Medicaid.
4. Georgia hospital says CHS fraud allegations are ‘demonstrably false’
Community Health Systems Professional Services Corp., a subsidiary of Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, filed a lawsuit against Columbus, Ga.-based St. Francis Hospital in August over a deal that fell through. Now, St. Francis has asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit, calling the allegations “demonstrably false.”
5. Florida hospital hits Health First with antitrust lawsuit for trying to monopolize cancer care market
Titusville, Fla.-based Parrish Medical Center filed a lawsuit against Rockledge, Fla.-based Health First, claiming the company committed antitrust violations by trying to monopolize a cancer care market.
6. California physician faces murder trial for deaths of 3 patients
The trial of Hsiu-Ying “Lisa” Tseng, DO, began Aug. 31 for the alleged murder of three young men who all died of overdoses after she prescribed them painkillers from her clinic in Rowland Heights, Calif.
7. Nurse files whistle-blower lawsuit, alleges fraud at Kansas hospital
A whistle-blower lawsuit filed by a former emergency department nurse at Lawrence (Kan.) Memorial Hospital claiming the hospital falsified patient records to obtain higher Medicare and Medicaid payments was unsealed.
8. Federal judge rules antitrust lawsuit against UPMC, Highmark can move forward
An antitrust lawsuit against UPMC and Highmark, both based in Pittsburgh, will move forward after U.S. District Judge Joy Flower Conti denied a motion by the two health giants to dismiss it.
9. Kmart pays $1.4M in false claims settlement
Hoffmann Estates, Ill.-based Kmart paid $1.4 million to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly inducing Medicare beneficiaries to fill their prescriptions at Kmart pharmacies.
More articles on healthcare industry lawsuits:
5 things to know about FTC, DOJ antitrust enforcement activity in FY 2014
6 latest healthcare industry lawsuits, settlements
3 NY hospitals included in $8M fraud, kickback settlement
