Sidibe v. Sutter Health

  1. February 16, 2022

    Ex-VA Health Official Questions Sutter Costs At Antitrust Trial

    A former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs undersecretary for health under the Clinton administration testified as an expert witness Wednesday in a $411 million antitrust class action against Sutter Health, saying other hospitals get high marks for patient care without the higher prices that Sutter demands.

  2. February 15, 2022

    Sutter's Prices 'Difficult To Justify,' Antitrust Jury Hears

    A California federal jury considering a $411 million antitrust class action against Sutter Health heard videotaped testimony Tuesday from a former Sutter vice president who told higher-ups in 2011 that inconsistent patient ratings made it "difficult to justify" the health giant's higher prices.

  3. February 14, 2022

    Sutter Hospitals Forced On Insurers, Antitrust Trial Jurors Told

    A former Blue Shield executive testifying Monday in a $411 million antitrust suit against Sutter Health said that the California hospital chain didn't want insurers "cherry-picking" which hospitals they covered to lower costs, pushing them to contract for Sutter's entire system.

  4. February 11, 2022

    Sutter Exec Defends Contract Terms In $411M Antitrust Trial

    A California federal jury considering a $411 million antitrust suit against Sutter Health heard videotaped testimony Friday from a Sutter vice president who said the nonprofit demands certain allegedly anti-competitive contract terms from insurers to have the revenue and patient volume to offset the costs of charity care.

  5. February 10, 2022

    Sutter's Anti-Competitive Tactics 'Gouge' Clients, Jury Hears

    A lawyer representing insurance buyers in a $411 million antitrust class against Sutter Health told a California federal jury Thursday during opening remarks that the health care nonprofit has stifled competition and "gouged" millions of individuals and businesses with high prices.

  6. February 07, 2022

    Sutter Antitrust Jurors Will Be COVID-19 Boosted, Judge Says

    A California federal magistrate judge overseeing insurance buyers' $411 million class action over Sutter Health's allegedly anti-competitive practices agreed at a Monday hearing with the parties' conclusion that prospective jurors should be vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 to be considered for service on the upcoming trial.

  7. January 20, 2022

    Sutter Judge 'Optimistic' Virus Won't Further Delay Jury Trial

    A California federal magistrate judge expressed optimism Thursday that the jury trial in a decade-old $411 million class action alleging Sutter Health engaged in anti-competitive practices can begin Feb. 9 after being derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, saying she'll require 100% masking and allow some witnesses to appear remotely.

  8. January 18, 2022

    Sutter Calls Class' Bid For Chief Judge Intervention 'Improper'

    Sutter Health said Monday that it was "improper" for a class of insurance buyers to ask the chief judge of the Northern District of California to confer with a magistrate judge about whether, after a decade of litigation over the health system's allegedly anti-competitive practices, a trial should proceed soon.

  9. January 13, 2022

    'Someone Is Going To Get Sick': Sutter Judge Eyes Later Trial

    A California federal magistrate judge indicated Thursday that she would further postpone trial in a decade-old $411 million class action alleging Sutter Health engaged in anti-competitive practices, saying that's the "morally correct" move given the omicron surge and that "someone is going to get sick" if the trial begins in January.

  10. January 12, 2022

    Sutter Antitrust Trial Must Go On Despite COVID, Judge Told

    Insurance buyers pursuing a $411 million class action over Sutter Health's allegedly anti-competitive practices told a California federal judge that the hospital network is using the recent surge in COVID-19 cases as an excuse to stall the upcoming jury trial in the nearly 10-year-old case.