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.
The lawsuits, filed in multiple states, contend there's a causal link between semaglutide and a rare condition called NAION that leads to diminished eyesight. Plaintiffs want the popular weight-loss drugs to add a warning label.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the judgment, which was issued against two facilities in Pennsylvania. The nursing homes fraudulently billed Medicare and Medicaid for working hours despite staff not being on the floor.
In court documents, an unnamed Minnesota woman said that in 2022, she was admitted to an Allina Health hospital and scheduled for the removal of her infected spleen, only for an error to result in her left kidney being removed instead.
Community Health System and Physician Network Advantage, an affiliated technology consultancy firm, were accused of bribing physicians for patient referrals in the form of paid vacations, expensive gifts and business meetings held at strip clubs.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal reports that UnitedHealth Group is being investigated for criminal fraud, likely stemming from its Medicare Advantage billing practices.
The lawsuits, filed in multiple states, contend there's a causal link between semaglutide and a rare condition called NAION that leads to diminished eyesight. Plaintiffs want the popular weight-loss drugs to add a warning label.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the judgment, which was issued against two facilities in Pennsylvania. The nursing homes fraudulently billed Medicare and Medicaid for working hours despite staff not being on the floor.
In court documents, an unnamed Minnesota woman said that in 2022, she was admitted to an Allina Health hospital and scheduled for the removal of her infected spleen, only for an error to result in her left kidney being removed instead.
Community Health System and Physician Network Advantage, an affiliated technology consultancy firm, were accused of bribing physicians for patient referrals in the form of paid vacations, expensive gifts and business meetings held at strip clubs.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal reports that UnitedHealth Group is being investigated for criminal fraud, likely stemming from its Medicare Advantage billing practices.
The unwanted spam calls were associated with Optum's home healthcare service. Plaintiffs alleged they received the marketing calls despite opting out and never signing up, in violation of federal consumer protection laws. The company does not admit to wrongdoing.
A Biden-era update to the law would require private insurers to update their networks to ensure patients have access to mental and behavioral health services, with those services reimbursed in a manner similar to physical care.
CureIS, a company that supports healthcare providers who take Medicaid and Medicare, is accusing the EHR leader of data blocking and other anti-competitive practices that violate state and federal laws.
"The number of non-facility services reimbursed at less than direct costs grew 50% since 2024. The number of services under the MPFS for which reimbursement does not even cover cost likely is much higher than 300 services," the proposed AMA resolution states.
COVID-19 vaccines are associated with a very low risk of myocarditis and/or pericarditis, primarily in young adults. The long-term impact of this risk has been the subject of many studies and debates over the years. One side says that the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks, and the other side says that even the smallest risk of heart damage is too high.
Gerald G. Blackwell, MD, MBA, MedAxiom's president and CEO, examined how different cardiology employment models look today compared to even a decade ago.
