Below are the latest articles on Healthcare events from around the globe.

• Health Records Firms Face Increasing Privacy Liability
  U.S. companies that partner with hospitals and other health providers could face steep fines if they disclose private patient information under a proposed new federal rule. From Insurance Journal - 7/19/2010
• Boston hospital group settles overtime lawsuit -
  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and three other affiliated hospitals have agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle a class-actioni lawsuit brought by employees who said they weren't paid all the money they had earned. From Associated Press - 6/9/2010
  
• Nine hospitals settle allegations of falsely billing kyphoplasty procedures -
  Nine hospitals in seven states will pay the United States more than $9.4 million combined to resolve claims that they overcharged Medicare between 2000 and 2008. From Compliance Monitor –  5/19/2010
• U.S. Antitrust Investigation Examines Partners' Contracts - 
  The US DOJ is investigating Partners HealthCare System, Inc. for possible anticompetitive behavior related to their contracts with health insurers. - From www.Commonhealth.wbur.org - 4/29/2010
• Greystone hospital nursing supervisor sues alleging racial discrimination, harassment -
  A nursing supervisor contends she was a victim of long-term race and gender discrimination, and job harassment. From www.NJ.com - 3/9/2010
• House Votes on Antitrust Bill -
  Members of the House voted 406-19 to pass the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act Bill. - From www.lifeandhealthinsurancenews.com - 2/24/2010
• Attorney General Sues Health Net For Massive Security Breach Involving Private Medical Records And Financial Information -
  The Attorney General of Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal, has filed suit against health insurer Health Net of Connecticut for allegedly failing to properly secure patient information for over 445,000 state enrollees and for failure to notify consumers of the breach to their medical and financial information promptly. From www.ct.gov - 1/13/2010
• Settlement in AMA Lawsuit Against UnitedHealth Gets Preliminary Approval From Federal Court -The American Medical Association (AMA) announced today a preliminary approval was granted of the previously disclosed $350 million settlement that would resolve a class-action lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group. The action brought alleged that UnitedHealth Group colluded with others to underpay physicians for out-of-network medical services. – From American Medical Association – 12/3/09
• St. John Health System Settles EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit - 
  A hospital employer will pay $100,000 to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on behalf of a hearing-impaired employee.  The EEOC charged that the company violated the ADA by failing to reasonably accommodate a hearing-impaired operating room scrub technician. – From www.eeoc.gov– 11/18/09
• Extortion attempt against Express Scripts confirmed -
  The pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts was notified by the FBI that an alleged extortion revealed more than a year ago is, indeed, a legitimate threat. – From www.amednews.com – 10/12/2009

• What to Know About Red Flags, Notification Laws and the Hi Tech Act -
  Just a few years ago there were only a handful of states that had data breach notification laws. Today, 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have enacted data breach privacy laws and federal legislation is well on its way. - From Insurance Journal - 9/21/2009
• Feds to Ramp Up Enforcement of ‘Rampant’ Wage-and-Hour Violations -
  After last week's release of a 72-page report documenting what the National Law Journal sums up as alleged "rampant" violations of wage-and-hour laws by employers, the U.S. Department of Labor is already gearing up for more stringent enforcement. - From http://www.ABALawjournal.com - 9/9/2009
• Some states still prohibit hospitals from hiring doctors; physicians want to keep it that way -
  California and Texas are among states with bans. Hospitals want the right to hire doctors to address rural shortages, but physicians fear loss of autonomy. - From American Medical News - 8/3/2009
• What Editorial Writers are Saying about Obama's Idea for a Public Health Plan - All agree that health care costs are spiraling, but a sampling of editorials in newspapers across the country shows a wide ideological divide about the public plan option. - From American Medical News - 7/6/2009
• Providence Alaska Medical Center Pays $220,000 to Operating Room Staff Laid Off Due to Age Bias -
  The EEOC charged that in February 2005, Providence laid off and refused to rehire longtime employees - From The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - 6/3/2009
• Interagency Health Care Fraud Prevention Enforcement Action Team -
  Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announce the creation of a new interagency effort, the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) - From U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - 5/20/2009
• Skilled Healthcare Group, Inc. To Pay Up to $450,000 For National Origin Discrimination -
  The EEOC filed suit in 2005 against the defendant companies alleging national origin discrimination on behalf of Hispanics under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, which approved the three-year consent decree settling the matter. - From the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - 4/19/09
• Health Information Privacy - Resolution Agreement -
  CVS pays $2.25 million & toughens disposal practices to settle HIPAA privacy case - From U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - 2/18/2009
• Notice Concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments Act of 2008 -
  Emphasizes that the definition of disability should be constued in favor of broad coverage of individuals - From the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - 1/1/09
• Job Bias Claims Rise to Record Level -
  Discrimination claims filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission jumped 15 percent in fiscal 2008 to 95,402 — the highest level since the agency opened in 1965. - From www.msnbc.com - 3/9/09