The nation's fifth-largest hospital chain has agreed to pay the federal government $65 million to settle a long-running whistleblower lawsuit accusing its founder of pressuring staff to admit patients who did not need inpatient care. Related: DOJ arrests 600 in latest health care fraud crackdown Prosecutors in the Central District of California in Los Angeles intervened in the lawsuit in 2016. Prime Healthcare Services owns more than 40 hospitals across the nation, including recently acquired Southern Regional Medical Center in Clayton County, Georgia. Reddy, his company, its California hospitals and his foundation are represented by Los Angeles firm Nelson Hardiman and Atlanta King & Spalding partners Michael Paulhus and Sara Kay Wheeler. Wilbanks said that Bernsten will receive $17,225,000 as part of the settlement under the federal False Claims Act.
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R. Robin McDonald

Daily Report reporter R. Robin McDonald's journalism career includes stints as a staff writer at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Wichita Eagle, and The Anniston Star and as a trial tracker at CourtTV and CNN. She is the author of two true crime books -- Black Widow: The True Story of the Hilley Poisonings and Secrets Never Lie: The Death of Sara Tokars.