Here are 12 ASC-related lawsuits Becker’s has reported on since March 1:
1. Henghold Surgery Center in Pensacola, Fla., and owner William Henghold, MD, agreed to pay $847,394 to resolve allegations of submitting false claims. The ASC, which closed in 2023, was operated by Forefront Dermatology of Manitowoc, Wis. According to the Justice Department, Henghold Dermatology and the ASC misclassified wound repairs following Mohs micrographic surgery — coding simple linear repairs as more complex flap repairs, and overstating the size of flap repairs to obtain higher reimbursements.
2. Syracuse ASC in Liverpool, N.Y., reached a settlement with HHS’ Office for Civil Rights over alleged HIPAA Security and Breach Notification Rule violations. The case stemmed from a March 2021 ransomware attack that compromised the electronic protected health information of 24,891 individuals. The center offers ophthalmic, ENT, and pain management procedures.
3. Aspen Surgery Center (Calif.) faces a class-action lawsuit alleging it failed to pay employees for time worked off the clock. Filed in Contra Costa County Superior Court, the suit claims the center violated multiple California Labor Code provisions, including failing to pay minimum and overtime wages, provide meal and rest breaks, issue accurate wage statements, and reimburse business expenses.
4. Sara Lay, RN, a former nurse at Oregon Eye Surgery Center in Eugene, was sentenced to one year of federal supervision for stealing nearly 300 vials of fentanyl. She pleaded guilty in January 2024 to obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. Another nurse later discovered altered anesthesia logs, with entries “whited out” to underreport fentanyl use.
5. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained a 30-year-old man inside an ASC in Ontario, Calif., in what quickly escalated into a heated encounter between staff and federal agents. Masked federal immigration officers targeted Denis Guillen-Solis while he was landscaping with two other men outside the Ontario Advanced Surgery Center. Javier Hernandez, a representative of the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, told KTLA that the officers never identified themselves. He said that the agents began chasing Mr. Guillen-Solis, who ran inside the ASC.
6. Elaine Bredehoft is suing Premier Endoscopy Center in Naples, Fla., and physician Scott Wiesen, MD, alleging malpractice during a 2023 colonoscopy. The suit claims Dr. Wiesen punctured her colon and mistakenly removed her ovary and fallopian tube, believing them to be polyps.
7. Patrick Campbell, a former nurse at North Platte Surgery Center, was charged with acquiring controlled substances by fraud. He admitted in April 2023 to stealing propofol and fentanyl. An internal investigation found missing vials, leading to his termination. He faces up to four years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
8.Multiple former patients are suing Parkwest Surgery Center in Knoxville, Tenn., alleging they contracted Mycobacterium fortuitum infections after knee surgeries in 2023. The suits claim negligence led to “persistent and aggressive” infections.
9. In May, former United Surgical Partners International employee Dara Janosky filed a class-action lawsuit alleging the company violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. She claims USPI’s tobacco-use surcharge on health insurance premiums discriminates based on health status, fails to meet federal wellness program standards, and is designed for profit rather than employee health.
10. A Florida judge allowed State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. to proceed with a lawsuit against a network of medical providers and surgery centers accused of patient brokering. The insurer alleges inflated medical bills and settlements totaling over $3 million, citing violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
11. A New York federal judge dismissed a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by four ASCs — Manalapan Surgery Center, New Horizon Surgical Center, Surgicore of Jersey City and Surgicore Surgical Center — against the 1199 Service Employees International Union National Benefit Fund. The ASCs, all out-of-network providers, alleged they were owed payment for ad hoc services under an agreement with SEIU.
12. Tonya Becker, RN, a former employee of the shuttered Sturm Cosmetic Surgery in Ames, Iowa, filed suit in March alleging retaliatory discharge, age discrimination, and sexual harassment. She claims she was fired by lead surgeon Lindsay Sturm, DO, in 2024 for refusing unsafe and unethical directives and for raising patient safety concerns. The lawsuit also alleges Dr. Sturm fostered a culture where staff feared retaliation for speaking up.
