Legal News

Stories about physicians and other healthcare professionals involved in lawsuits—as either a plaintiff or a defendantor accused of breaking the law. Various legal updates or unusual stories in the news may land here.

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Recent fraud cases suggest ‘fake nursing’ has become a troubling career path

A new report reveals that states are keeping databases on “imposter nurses” to slow what could be a growing trend of unlicensed individuals holding nursing positions at hospitals nationwide. 

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Johnson & Johnson MedTech hit with permanent injunction as fallout over antitrust lawsuit continues

Johnson & Johnson MedTech was already ordered to pay $442.2 million in damages for withholding clinical support to healthcare providers. Now the company has been hit with a permanent injunction designed to stop it from being a repeat offender.

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Report: DOJ investigating business practices of UnitedHealth’s Optum Rx

Bloomberg said the pharmacy benefit manager is being probed as part of a larger look into the “prescription management services” of UnitedHealth. According to sources, this may be related to an ongoing investigation into alleged instances of Medicare Advantage upcoding.

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New York cardiologist headed to prison—DOJ says he paid for referrals, performed unneeded procedures

"Today’s sentence sends a deterrent message to doctors and the healthcare industry," according to a DOJ statement. "If you abuse patient trust for profit, you will face justice."

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Court approves $2.8B BCBS class-action settlement; insurer to make changes

The settlement reached in October 2024 has been finalized. A fund is being set up for the estimated 3 million claimants, as BCBS pledges to reform its BlueCard health plans.

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UnitedHealth forms ‘public responsibility committee’ to improve its reputation

The insurance giant is charging the new board committee with monitoring company policies related to prior authorizations, claims adjudication and AI. The group is scheduled to meet four times a year.

Dispute over medical care at Children’s Hospital leads to father being tased at Walmart

Ladarius Butler took his 3-year-old son to Children’s Hospital Colorado after the boy had trouble breathing. An argument over the care he received led Butler to leave the hospital with the child, prompting staff to call 911. All charges against Butler were dropped, but he has filed a lawsuit against the city of Aurora after he was tased in a Walmart parking lot.

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Patients file $5M class-action lawsuit against 1 of America’s oldest radiology practices

"Jane Doe,” who is under 18, and legal representatives claim Radiology Associates of Richmond failed to safeguard private health information.