In the News Today – October 4, 2016

ABA Journal Highlights Article About Litigation Against Long-Term Care Facilities: In light of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) new rule prohibiting arbitration by long-term care facilities, the ABA Journal highlights an article from last month about whether litigation is about improving care, or simply a generating money for the plaintiffs’ bar. “The tort system is typically not about anything other than money,” says David Hoffman, a former federal prosecutor who handled health care fraud and abuse cases. Chicago defense attorney Terrence S. Carden III said “nursing homes are good moneymakers for Illinois plaintiffs lawyers.” He recalls an Madison County, IL case in which the jury awarded $58,000 to the plaintiff, with the trial court approving $175,000 in attorney fees. (ABA Journal)