Legal News

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.

HHS sued over RFK’s $11B cuts to infectious disease control
The Department of Health and Human Services is refusing to allocate funds meant to support state and local healthcare initiatives, as the money stemmed from now-defunct COVID-19 control efforts. A coalition of municipalities is suing to lift the block.
Mangione enters plea of 'not guilty' as federal trial moves forward
Luigi Mangione has officially entered a plea in the indictment against him for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The federal case is now expected to move forward before the overlapping state murder trial, as the Department of Justice is seeking the death penalty.
Gov. DeSantis accused of diverting $10M in Medicaid funds to charity run by wife
The Florida governor claims the money was not part of a settlement the state made with Centene, and that the insurer donated the cash as a “cherry on top.”
Owner of home healthcare company gets 14 months for defrauding COVID programs
Nakita Cannady, 49, was also convicted of defrauding Cigna to the tune of $194,000, billing the insurer for patient care hours her providers never filled.
Supreme Court likely to uphold ACA preventive care provision, analysts say
According to multiple reports, the majority of justices appeared to be leaning toward siding with the government, which argues that members of HHS's Preventive Services Task Force have the legal authority under the Constitution to determine which treatments are covered as 'preventive' under the Affordable Care Act.

CityMD agrees to $12M settlement over alleged COVID claims fraud

The company cooperated with a DoJ investigation into COVID-19 tests being erroneously billed to the federal government.

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California bill: Private equity firms must seek AG approval for healthcare buyouts

California Assembly bill AB-3129 requires private equity investors to send an application to the state attorney general 90 days before they purchase a hospital or provider group.

FDA panel recommends new COVID-19 booster

Booster uptake rates remain low. To date, only 22.5% of Americans received an annual COVID-19 shot from 2023.

Q&A: Healthcare cybersecurity advocate fears damage from Change Healthcare breach has only begun

Richard Staynings says the breach of Change Healthcare’s systems stems from consolidation, and the impact may devastate independent providers.

HHS: ‘Who is responsible for ensuring that individuals affected by the Change Healthcare breach receive notification?’

HHS’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has confirmed UnitedHealth Group can send out HIPAA-required notifications about the breach but stopped short of saying the company will be responsible for doing so.

Rural New Mexico hospital may close its doors after $100M malpractice judgment

Rehoboth McKinley Medical Center lost a 2019 malpractice case involving a botched hernia surgery. The hospital was already operating at a loss before the case went to court.

Doctor sentenced to five years for performing unnecessary surgeries

Daniel J. Castro, MD, defrauded insurers and patients by conducting unnecessary excisions of glands in the head and neck.

Authorities scold provider for failing to relay results from X-ray unearthing deadly lung cancer

An initial exam pinpointed nodules in both of a woman's lungs, but providers failed to promptly relay the results and she died months later.

Legal News

HHS sued over RFK’s $11B cuts to infectious disease control

Mangione enters plea of 'not guilty' as federal trial moves forward

Gov. DeSantis accused of diverting $10M in Medicaid funds to charity run by wife

Owner of home healthcare company gets 14 months for defrauding COVID programs

Supreme Court likely to uphold ACA preventive care provision, analysts say