Department of Juctice

Legal

DOJ, Ohio File Antitrust Suit Against OhioHealth Over Payer Contracts

The Department of Justice and the state of Ohio filed an antitrust lawsuit against OhioHealth this week, alleging the health system used “all-or-nothing” contracts that force insurers to include all of its hospitals and physicians. The case highlights federal and state scrutiny of hospital consolidation and restrictive contracting practices — with potential implications for payers, patients and healthcare markets across the country.

By Katie Adams

Legal

NAACP, Lawmakers File Federal Complaints Over Wellstar’s Hospital Closures in Black Communities

Georgia policymakers, county officials and the NAACP are asking the federal government to investigate Wellstar Health System’s closure of two Atlanta-area hospitals in predominantly Black neighborhoods. Complaints have recently been filed with the DOJ, IRS and HHS' civil rights office.

By Katie Adams

Legal

US Sues Rite Aid for Ignoring Glaring ‘Red Flags’ in Opioid Prescriptions

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Rite Aid, accusing the pharmacy chain of filling hundreds of thousands of opioid prescriptions that had “obvious, and often multiple, red flags.” The DOJ claimed that Rite Aid violated the Controlled Substances Act by filling unlawful prescriptions for addictive drugs, as well as the False Claims Act when the chain sought reimbursement from federal healthcare programs for these prescriptions.

By Katie Adams

Legal, Payers

Justice Department joins False Claims lawsuits against Kaiser Permanente

The government has intervened in complaints alleging Kaiser Permanente entities defrauded Medicare out of "tens of millions of dollars" by knowingly submitting false diagnoses for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. Kaiser denies the allegations, saying it is in compliance with program requirements.

By Anuja Vaidya