HHS OIG Reports 'Concerning' Medicare Advantage Denials

By Gianna Ferrarin

A pair of reports released by the inspector general for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday found that UnitedHealth Group, Humana and CVS Health logged some of the highest prior authorization denial rates among their Medicare Advantage peers for post-acute care.

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AbbVie Loses Colorado 340B Drug Pricing Law Challenge

By Zach Dupont

A Colorado federal judge on Wednesday dismissed all of AbbVie Inc.'s claims against the state over its federal 340B drug pricing law, finding that the Colorado law isn't federally preempted and courts across the country have settled the issue.

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Braidwood Files New Challenge To ACA Birth Control Mandate

By Kellie Mejdrich

For-profit healthcare company Braidwood Management and several individuals sued the government in Texas federal court to challenge no-cost contraception coverage requirements under the Affordable Care Act, arguing that the court should enjoin enforcement of the policy because it burdened their faith in violation of federal religious freedom law.

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23andMe To Pay $46.7M To Resolve Data Breach Claims

By Emily Lever

The plan administration trust created under the Chapter 11 plan of DNA-testing company 23andMe has struck a deal to pay $46.7 million to data breach claimants, saying the move brings 23andMe one step closer to resolving the fallout of a massive data breach in 2023.

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Legislative Update: Cannabis And Psychedelics Bill Roundup

By Sam Reisman

Lawmakers in multiple states advanced legislation reining in products derived from the kratom leaf, Pennsylvania lawmakers rejected a cannabis regulation bill, and Rhode Island's governor signed into law legislation eliminating residency requirements from the state's cannabis social equity program. Here are the major moves in cannabis and psychedelics legislation from the past week.

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5th Circ. Backs $158M Healthcare Fraud Scheme Convictions

By Gina Kim

The Fifth Circuit affirmed convictions for two men found guilty in a $158 million healthcare scheme where false claims were submitted for illegitimate compound medications, ruling Wednesday there was sufficient evidence for jurors to find they conspired to defraud federal workers' compensation programs and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

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Stop & Shop Parent Pays $40M On Inflated Drug Price Claims

By Gina Kim

Stop & Shop's parent company will pay $40 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by failing to report discounted prescription drug prices as "usual and customary" in claims submitted to federal Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE programs, which resulted in overcharges, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday.

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11th Circ. Seeks Fla., Ga. Justices' Input On Opioid Coverage

By Hope Patti

The Eleventh Circuit on Thursday asked justices in Georgia and Florida to weigh in on whether commercial general liability insurers must defend and indemnify Publix Super Markets Inc. and a Georgia-based generic-drug wholesaler against suits claiming they improperly distributed opioids.

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Ed. Dept. Tries New Tack To Scrap K-12 Mental Health Grants

By Ben Adlin

The U.S. Department of Education pressed ahead with its plan to end up to a billion dollars in school mental health grants, arguing Wednesday that a Seattle federal judge's December 2025 injunction barring the discontinuation of the grants shouldn't block the government from canceling the contracts outright.

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Mich. Judge Denies Law Firm's Bid To Toss Data Breach Suit

By Susan Smiley

A Michigan law firm's bid to toss a proposed class action alleging that it allowed a cybersecurity breach that exposed its clients' personal and medical information was denied Thursday by a federal judge who also granted the lead plaintiff's request to amend his complaint.

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Conn. Justices Order New Trial In $13.2M Estate Tax Fight

By Aaron Keller

The Connecticut Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a new trial over the state's $13.2 million tax assessment against the estate of a health insurance executive who died in Florida, saying a trial judge should have applied a lower standard of proof when determining the executive's state of residence.

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Chinese Biopharma Sues Over National Security Threat Label

By Bonnie Eslinger

Chinese pharmaceutical company WuXi AppTec sued the U.S. Department of Defense on Thursday, asking a D.C. federal court to set aside the agency's designation of the company as a Chinese military company, which it said was done "without a lawful or factual basis."

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USAA Says Therapist's Policy Doesn't Cover Ex-Lover's Death

By Ben Adlin

USAA argued in a Washington federal lawsuit Wednesday that the insurer has no duty to defend a therapist in a wrongful death action brought by the estate of a former patient who was allegedly shot and killed by the therapist's new boyfriend amid the fallout from a "tumultuous" romantic relationship.

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Fla. Dispensary Says Data Privacy Suit Is Meritless

By Jonathan Capriel

A medical marijuana patient can't sue Florida dispensary Sunburn Cannabis for secretly sharing his health data with Google LLC, the dispensary argued to a federal court this week, saying he consented to the tracking via its website's privacy policy.

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Hospital Co. Accused Of Misusing Forfeited 401(k) Funds

By Patrick Hoff

A Northwell Health Inc. subsidiary violated federal benefits law by using millions of dollars in forfeited 401(k) funds to offset its contribution obligations and allowing the $1.2 billion plan's recordkeeper to be overpaid, according to a proposed class action in Connecticut federal court.

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Brief

Fla. Hospital Antitrust Case Paused For Cert. Denial Appeal

By Nadia Dreid

Patients who have accused hospital operator Health First of illegally fending off competition by preventing doctors from referring patients to rivals have convinced a Florida federal judge to put their lawsuit on hold while they challenge her decision to deny them class certification.

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Trump Admin's Agency Records Purge Tests Judicial Notice

While courts commonly take judicial notice of data in government websites and reports, the Trump administration's recent modification or wholesale deletion of these sources means that litigants must look elsewhere to support trial admission of this information, says Jon Gryskiewicz at Lewis Baach.

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Ch. 15 Ruling Is A Restructuring Blueprint For Cannabis Cos.

The recent Cannabist Chapter 15 recognition order is arguably the most significant cannabis bankruptcy development in U.S. history, providing a concrete and tested road map by which such companies with foreign parent structures can access the protective machinery of U.S. bankruptcy law, say attorneys at Saul Ewing.

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How FCA, FCPA Risks Are Shifting As Feds Pull Back

As the federal government continues its retreat from white collar enforcement, companies should expect False Claims Act risk to grow through private whistleblower suits and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act scrutiny to shift toward foreign prosecutors, requiring more adaptability as accountability becomes less centralized, says Temidayo Aganga-Williams at Selendy Gay.

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Series

Cow Horse Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Moving an unwilling 800-pound cow while riding a horse at high speed is exhilarating, a little unhinged and, at least for me, a surprisingly effective training ground for litigation — both demand focus, preparation over rigid planning and the willingness to act despite fear, says Ashley Zitrin at Glenn Agre.

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More BigLaw Raises Predicted Despite Silence After Milbank

By Alison Knezevich

While boutiques make up many of the law firms that have quickly matched Milbank LLP's recently announced associate raises, recruiters told Law360 Pulse this week that they predict more BigLaw firms will eventually reveal their own salary hikes.

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Analysis

Insider Trading Defense May Draw On 'Varsity Blues' Playbook

By Chris Villani

After enlisting a crew of experienced attorneys, defendants charged in an insider trading case allegedly involving deal information stolen from huge law firms are preparing to use a strategy that could take some cues from the "Varsity Blues" case in the same Boston courthouse.

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Q&A

JAMS Chief Executive Says Mass Arbitrations On The Rise

By Kellie Mejdrich

Mediation giant JAMS says it has seen a major upswing in mass arbitrations in employment and other contexts, as plaintiff-side firms develop new ways of responding to language requiring out-of-court dispute resolution by companies. CEO Kimberly Taylor and veteran JAMS mediator Robert Meyer spoke to Law360 about mediation trends, with a specific focus on employee benefits disputes.

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Atty Faces Sanctions Over Fake Quotes In Taco TM Fight

By Brian Steele

A Connecticut attorney could be sanctioned for including fake case quotes and misrepresentations of the law in court filings that seek dismissal of a trademark case against a taco restaurant, a federal judge said Friday in questioning whether the documents were sullied by artificial intelligence.

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Analysis

3 Things To Know As Judge Stares Down Impeachment Push

By Kelcey Caulder

The scandal that could cost U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross her job also threatens to cause courthouse chaos in the form of recusal motions, bids to reopen suits and uncertainty for clerks. Here, Law360 looks at three things to know about the calls to impeach the judge and their potential fallout.

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Texas Court Urged To Keep Judge Romance Suit Alive

By Adrian Cruz

In multiple filings, EJS Investment Holdings LLC has asked a Texas federal judge to reject attempts by former U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David Jones and other parties to dismiss its proposed class action over his secret romance with a former Jackson Walker LLP partner.

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'Poor Lawyering': Walmart Flub Haunts Class Attys At 9th Circ.

By Jeff Overley

Amid warnings of a chilling effect on plaintiffs counsel, a Ninth Circuit panel Friday scrutinized six-figure sanctions against attorneys whose false advertising suit targeting Walmart Inc. collapsed because of crucial fine print in an avocado oil receipt.

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No Amici In Comey Seashell Threat Case, Judge Says

By Craig Clough

A North Carolina federal judge on Friday said she will not allow any amici to weigh in on former FBI Director James Comey's criminal charges alleging he threatened President Donald Trump with a social media post, finding the parties are "ably represented" by counsel and public input is not needed.

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Ill. Judge Decries Grand Jury 'Turmoil,' Tosses Fraud Charges

By Lauraann Wood

An Illinois federal judge agreed Friday to dismiss fraud charges against two men ahead of an evidentiary hearing probing recent grand jury misconduct claims, but cautioned that "getting rid" of the case may not have prosecutors' desired effect, as such allegations continue causing "turmoil" throughout the district court.

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Deluge Of Video Evidence Overwhelms Criminal Cases

By Brandon Lowrey

Surveillance cameras and police body cameras are creating a flood of video evidence that can help prosecutors and defense attorneys build strong cases. But many have been struggling with the technical and logistical challenges that come with the sheer volume of footage.

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Roundup

UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

By Laura Stewart Liberty

The past week in London has seen the FCA bring a claim against a fund manager it accused of providing investment services despite having been banned, an Ardmore unit sue a contractor two days before the construction group's collapse, and shipping and cruise giant MSC hit back at an entertainment company following separate intellectual property litigation in the U.S. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

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Roundup

GC Cheat Sheet: The Hottest Corporate News Of The Week

By Sue Reisinger

Elon Musk and SpaceX's legal team blasted off today with the largest IPO in history, with shares priced at $150 each at opening before briefly topping $176. And a new study shows investors have approved 11 of 17 companies' requests to move their incorporation from Delaware to Texas so far this proxy season.

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Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

By Kevin Penton

Kirkland & Ellis LLP leads this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after a Los Angeles jury in a bellwether trial cleared Johnson & Johnson of any liability in the deaths of three women from ovarian cancer.

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In Case You Missed It: Hottest Firms And Stories On Law360

For those who missed out, here's a look back at the law firms, stories and expert analyses that generated the most buzz on Law360 last week.

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