Stories about physicians and other healthcare professionals involved in lawsuits—as either a plaintiff or a defendant—or accused of breaking the law. Various legal updates or unusual stories in the news may land here.
Of all lawsuits filed against patients in 2024 in one U.S. state, physician practices and other non-hospital healthcare entities accounted for 80% of cases. That’s a complete inversion from just six years prior.
The U.S. Department of Justice said it worries its lawsuit could ultimately bankrupt the telehealth group, leaving little money for alleged victims. The company is said to have refused to cancel member accounts, forcing patients to file credit card disputes to get refunds. This is in addition to other arguably more serious accusations levied by the DOJ.
"This case reflects a troubling pattern in which payers, dissatisfied with IDR results, increasingly try to attack those outcomes outside the framework Congress created," Rad Partners says.
Epic’s attempt to have a lawsuit filed by startup Particle Health dismissed was unsuccessful. However, a U.S. district court judge narrowed the claims and rejected accusations that Epic engaged in defamation.
Robert Shrader, 41, was charged with seven counts of felony invasive visual recording after hidden cameras were found in the ceiling at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center in Texas. He also faces a civil lawsuit filed by an alleged victim.
A trove of content and data studies was purged from federal websites in an effort to eliminate “diversity, equity and inclusion.” That sweep also removed facts on maternal health, opioid addiction and more, leading to multiple lawsuits. One has now been settled.
Four nursing homes operated by ProMedica Health System are alleged to have failed to adequately feed patients, treat wounds and keep patients clean. The DOJ said the facilities falsified records to cover their tracks.
Marcy Markes, NP, has secured representation from the Pacific Legal Foundation in an effort to overturn a state law that requires nurse practitioners to pay a physician “collaborator” if they wish to run their own practice. The lawsuit argues the regulation exists only to stifle competition.
The pharmacy chain also agreed to perform an annual audit of billed drug prices to ensure it does not run afoul of the state’s “Most Favored Nation” policy.
Rad Partners "firmly" denied the allegations, which mirror a similar complaint from Aetna, contending it plans to "vigorously defend against these claims" in court.
After losing a court battle with the Fortune 500 company last year, Jeffrey C. Allard, MD, and attorneys are homing in on an attorney's faulty credentials, claiming she "poisoned" the proceedings.