Lawsuit Claims IU Health, Midwifery Practice Risked Lives

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A federal whistleblower lawsuit says IU Health and midwifery practice HealthNet defrauded the government of millions of dollars, and put low-income pregnant women at risk.

The Indianapolis Star reports the suit accuses IU Health and HealthNet of having less-expensive midwives care for high-risk Medicaid patients who should have been treated by doctors. The lawsuit says providers sent in bills as though the women were treated by doctors.

Managed care insurer MDwise is also a defendant in the lawsuit.

A doctor filed the lawsuit after she served as director of women's services at HealthNet and as medical director of OB-GYN services at IU Health Methodist Hospital. She claims she was fired in 2013 after she raised concerns about patient treatment at HealthNet.

Representatives for the parties being sued declined to comment.