Healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente is settling a $49 million dollar lawsuit with the state and multiple counties throughout California.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta says they took action after allegations Kaiser improperly disposed of hazardous waste and failed to protect sensitive patient information.

“Kaiser is our state’s largest healthcare provider, it operates more than 700 facilities and treats more than 8.8 million Californians. If they don’t follow the law, if they are careless with dangerous waste or sensitive information, the potential for harm is enormous and it is widespread,” he said.

    • girlfreddy@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      The fines for-profits pay should be scaled to their most recent yearly profits.

      Maybe then they’s start following the rules instead of just blowing them off.

          • Chaotic Entropy
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            1 year ago

            As in, it should be a proportion of their overall revenue as a business, if you just take a proportion of their profit then it’s less likely to actually harm them in some way. A single heavy fine calculated from profit will never put them at risk of not actually making a profit due to their horrendous misdeeds.

            • girlfreddy@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              I will then amend my solution to add this: the fine should be 50% of their profits.

              I am somewhat wary of hitting revenue as companies could then use it as an excuse to let go of staff, and that is a cost I’m unwilling to stand up for.

              • Chaotic Entropy
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                1 year ago

                Honestly, without specific regulation to prevent it, cost cutting like slashing staff will be the first thing a company does to protect its expected profits regardless of how you do it. That’s unavoidable whether you go for profit or revenue.

              • ThrowawayOnLemmy@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                Like a company needs an excuse to let go of staff. If they’re going to fire people, they’ll use any reason they can to cover.