Kaiser to pay $49 million to California for illegally dumping private medical records, medical waste
By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kaiser Permanente has agreed to pay $49 million as part of a settlement with California prosecutors who say the health care giant illegally disposed of thousands of private medical records, hazardous materials and medical waste, including blood and body parts. California authorities said Friday undercover trash inspectors found pharmaceutical drugs, and syringes, vials, canisters and other medical devices filled with human blood and other bodily fluids, and body parts removed during surgery inside bins handled by municipal waste haulers. Kaiser Permanente says it is cooperating with authorities to correct how some of its facilities are disposing of medical waste.