United States of America et al v. Healthsouth Corporation et al

Filing 229

ORDER Re: 227 Joint Status Report and Motion to Extend Discovery Deadlines. The parties are Granted an additional 28 day stay of the case deadlines. Signed by Magistrate Judge Cam Ferenbach on 9/25/2019. (Copies have been distributed pursuant to the NEF - SLD)

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Philip Goodhart (Bar No. 5332)
[e-mail]
THORNDAL, ARMSTRONG, DELK
BALKENBUSH & EISINGER
1100 E. Bridger Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: 702.366.0327

James J. Pisanelli, Esq.
Nevada Bar No. 4027
PISANELLI BICE, PLLC
400 S. 7th Street, Suite 300
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Telephone:
[phone]
Facsimile:
[phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Merril Hirsh (admitted pro hac vice)
[e-mail]
LAW OFFICE OF MERRIL HIRSH PLLC
2837 Northampton St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20015
Telephone: [phone]

R. Jeffrey Layne, Esq. (admitted pro hac vice)
REED SMITH LLP
111 Congress Avenue, Suite 400
Austin, TX 78701
Telephone:
[phone]
Facsimile:
[phone]
Email: [e-mail]

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Frederick J. Morgan (pro hac vice)
[e-mail]
Jennifer M. Verkamp (pro hac vice)
[e-mail]
Sonya A. Rao (pro hac vice)
[e-mail]
Ian M. Doig (pro hac vice)
[e-mail]
MORGAN VERKAMP LLC
35 East Seventh Street, Suite 600
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: 513.651.4405

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Attorneys for Plaintiff-Relator Joshua Luke

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MORGAN VERKAMP, LLC

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Attorneys for Defendants HealthSouth Corp.
And HealthSouth of Henderson, Inc.
Jack W. Selden
(admitted pro hac vice)
1819 Fifth Avenue North
Birmingham, AL 35203
Kimberly B. Martin
(admitted pro hac vice)
BRADLEY ARANT BOLT CUMMINGS LLP
200 Clinton Avenue West, Suite 900
Huntsville, AL 35801
Attorneys for Defendant Kenneth Bowman

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF NEVADA

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ex rel.,
Joshua Luke,

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Plaintiff,

Case No.: 2:13-cv-01319-APG-VCF

JOINT STATUS REPORT ON
SETTLEMENT PURSUANT TO
COURT ORDER SUSPENDING
DISCOVERY DEADLINES; and
[PROPOSED] ORDER TO EXTEND
DISCOVERY DEADLINES

v.
HEALTHSOUTH CORPORATION,
HEALTHSOUTH OF HENDERSON, INC. and
KENNETH BOWMAN,
Defendants.

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Pursuant to the August 27, 2019 Order of the Court (Doc. 225) and the August 28, 2019

2 Order issued by Special Master David Tenner (Doc. 226), Relator Joshua Luke (“Relator”),
3 Defendants HealthSouth Corporation and HealthSouth of Henderson (collectively, “HealthSouth”),
4 and Defendant Kenneth Bowman (“Bowman”), collectively the “Parties,” hereby submit this joint
5 status report regarding the Parties’ ongoing settlement discussions with the United States
6 Government (the “Government”):
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1.

On August 13, 2019, the Parties, along with the Government, participated in

8 settlement discussions, which resulted in a tentative agreement to settle this matter. In light of this
9 tentative agreement, the Parties filed two Joint Stipulations and Proposed Orders Vacating the
10 Hearing on Defendants’ Objections to the Special Master’s Order (Docs. 223 and 224), 1 in which the

MORGAN VERKAMP, LLC

11 Parties sought a stay of the case deadlines while they finalized settlement.
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2.

On August 27, 2019, the Court issued an order (Doc. 225) vacating the hearing on

13 Defendants’ Objections to the Special Master’s Order (Doc. 216), originally scheduled for
14 September 6, 2019; granting a stay of the case deadlines until September 24, 2019; and requiring the
15 Parties to file a status report on or before September 24, 2019. On August 28, 2019, the Special
16 Master also issued an Order granting this relief. (Doc. 226)
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3.

The Parties and the Government have participated in numerous communications by

18 telephone and email regarding the settlement agreement, during which the Parties discussed the
19 scope of the settlement agreement and the Parties’ releases of claims.
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4.

The Government has also drafted a settlement agreement and is awaiting

21 authorization to circulate the draft to the Parties.
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5.

While the Parties expect the settlement will be finalized shortly, they need additional

23 time to finalize and execute the settlement agreement.
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Accordingly, the Parties hereby seek and agree to the entry of an order providing them with

25 an additional 28-day stay of the case deadlines, so that they may continue the settlement negotiations
26 and finalize and execute a settlement agreement in resolution of this case.
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Doc. 223 contained a signature block for Judge Ferenbach, and Doc. 224 contained a signature
28 block for Special Master David Tenner.

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Respectfully submitted,

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DATED this 24th day of September, 2019.

DATED this 24th day of September, 2019.

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THORNDAL, ARMSTRONG, DELK,
BALKENBUSH & EISINGER

PISANELLI BICE, PLLC

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MORGAN VERKAMP, LLC

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/s/ James Pisanelli
__________________
JAMES J. PISANELLI, ESQ.
Nevada Bar No. 4027
400 S. 7th Street, Suite 300
Las Vegas, NV 89101

/s/ Philip Goodhart____________________
PHILIP GOODHART, ESQ.
Nevada Bar No. 5332
1100 E. Bridger Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89101

REED SMITH LLP
LAW OFFICE OF MERRIL HIRSH PLLC
/s/ James L. Sanders__________________
R. JEFFREY LANE, ESQ.
(admitted pro hac vice)
111 Congress Avenue, Suite 400
Austin, TX 78701
LESLEY REYNOLDS
1301 K Street, N.W.
Suite 1000-East Tower
Washington, DC 20005
JAMES L. SANDERS
355 South Grand Avenue, Suite 2900
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Attorneys for Defendants HealthSouth Corp.
and HealthSouth of Henderson, Inc.

/s/ Merril Hirsh_______________________
MERRIL HIRSH, ESQ.
(admitted pro hac vice)
2837 Northampton St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20015
MORGAN VERKAMP LLC
/s/ Ian M. Doig_______________________
FREDERICK M. MORGAN, JR.
(admitted pro hac vice)
SONYA A. RAO
(admitted pro hac vice)
IAN DOIG
(admitted pro hac vice)
35 East Seventh St., Suite 600
Cincinnati, OH 45202

BRADLEY ARANT BOULT CUMMINGS
LLP
/s/ Kimberly B. Martin_________________
JACK W. SELDEN
(admitted pro hac vice)
1819 Fifth Avenue North
Birmingham, AL 35203
KIMBERLY BESSIERE MARTIN
(admitted pro hac vice)
200 Clinton Avenue West, Suite 900
Huntsville, AL 35801

Attorneys for Relator Joshua Luke

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IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the parties
must file a status report on or before
October 22, 2019.

Attorneys for Defendant Kenneth Bowman

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IT IS SO ORDERED:

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_____________________________________
MAGISTRATE JUDGE CAM FERENBACH

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9-25-2019
DATED: _____________________________

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CASE NO. 2:13-CV-01319-APG-VCF
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that a copy of the foregoing was sent via the Court’s electronic filing system

3 and served on all counsel of record on September 24, 2019.
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/s/ Ian M. Doig_____________________
Ian M. Doig
Attorney for plaintiff-relator Joshua Luke

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MORGAN VERKAMP, LLC

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