From the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suing a Tennessee health system over its flu shot policy to a Montana health system paying $24 million to settle a whistle-blower lawsuit, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. EEOC sues Saint Thomas Health over mandatory flu shot policy
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against Nashville, Tenn.-based Saint Thomas Health Sept. 28, alleging Murfreesboro, Tenn.-based Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital violated federal law by ordering an employee to receive a flu shot despite his religious belief
2. Montana hospital pays $24M to settle ex-CFO’s whistle-blower suit
Kalispell (Mont.) Regional Healthcare System and six subsidiaries and related entities agreed to pay the federal government $24 million to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act, Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute.
3. DaVita resolves false claims, whistle-blower allegations for $270M
HealthCare Partners Holdings, which does business as DaVita Medical Holdings, will pay $270 million to settle False Claims Act violations and a whistle-blower lawsuit.
4. AmerisourceBergen to pay $625M to settle civil fraud charges linked to repackaging scandal
Drug wholesaler AmerisourceBergen will pay $625 million to resolve allegations that the company improperly distributed tampered and repackaged drugs.
5. Kansas physician awarded $29M in wrongful termination suit
A jury awarded a Kansas emergency physician $29 million for his lawsuit claiming he was wrongfully terminated by the emergency room staffing company he worked for after voicing concerns about the organization’s business practic
6. Disability advocacy firm sues Arizona hospital over access to patients
The Arizona Center for Disability Law filed a lawsuit Sept. 12 against Phoenix-based Arizona State Hospital, claiming hospital officials violated federal law by refusing to provide the center with access to the facility, patients and their records.
7. Louisiana health system stuck in antitrust suit brought by ex-hospital operator, health plan
BRF, a hospital operator in Shreveport, La., and the regional Vantage Health Plan are surging forward with an antitrust lawsuit against Shreveport-based Willis-Knighton Health System, even though BRF left the hospital business Oct. 1.
HENRY KOTULA 