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.

Frank Pollaro, a 55-year-old cardiologist from Long Island, New York, has admitted in court to possessing child pornography. Pollaro was already a registered sex offender after being convicted for the same crime in 2016.

New York cardiologist, already a sex offender, admits to possessing child pornography

The 55-year-old cardiologist was allowed to continue practicing cardiology after his first conviction in 2016. Now, he is losing his license and faces up to eight years in prison. 

Former Georgia insurance commissioner sentenced to prison for $3M fraud scheme

John Oxendine has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to file claims for bogus lab tests.

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Cardiologist’s sexual assault trial, set to begin after 4-month delay, will not be televised

The trial of Stephen Matthews, the Denver cardiologist accused of drugging 11 women and sexually assaulting nine of them, is expected to start July 12 after a lengthy delay. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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State attorneys general send warnings of Change Healthcare breach, urge residents to respond

Several state attorneys general have issued notices to residents regarding the Change Healthcare breach, asking them to sign up for credit monitoring and identity theft protection.

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Federal judge issues partial halt to FTC ban on noncompetes

A full court hearing to determine the fate of the FTC ban on noncompete clauses will be scheduled before Aug 31. For now, a judge has issued a preliminary injunction.

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Change Healthcare notifies patients their medical records may have been taken in breach

A HIPAA notification posted to the company’s website said details about patients’ diagnoses and treatments may have been stolen by hackers.

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Baylor, others paying $15M over DOJ allegations they ‘gambled’ with heart patient health

According to a whistleblower, multiple Texas healthcare providers put complex heart surgeries in the hands of unqualified trainees without proper supervision. The $15M being recovered is the largest amount ever for a case of this kind. 

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Optum settles improper opioid prescription accusations for $20M

The UnitedHealth Group subsidiary has not admitted any wrongdoing but said it has improved protocols for monitoring controlled substances.