By: LISA R. WILSON
After a New York attorney general’s office launched an investigation based upon hundreds of complaints against UnitedHealth Group, a settlement reached on Tuesday ordered the health insurance company to pay $50 million dollars for overcharging millions of Americans for health care.
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says Ingenix, a research firm owned by UnitedHealth Group, has been manipulating claim numbers so insurance companies pay less. “Americans have been under-reimbursed to the tune of at least hundreds of millions of dollars,” he says. Other major insurers also use Ingenix, including Aetna, CIGNA and WellPoint/Empire BlueCross BlueShield.
“This is a huge scam that affected hundreds of millions of Americans (who were) ripped off by their health insurance companies,” says Cuomo. “This was unethical, and it robbed vulnerable patients of insurance reimbursements they deserved.”
In a statement, UnitedHealth Group told TODAY: “We respectfully disagree with the New York Attorney General’s findings that we manipulated data or that our ownership of Ingenix was a conflict of interest. We agreed to his settlement because it was an effective way to address any perceived conflict of interest.”
Cuomo says he’s now investigating other health insurance companies. In addition, some patients plan to bring a class action lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group.
A class action is a case brought against a company whose actions have damaged a group of people in a similar way. A single person who has been injured may bring a class action on behalf of everyone who has been harmed. However, after the action has been started, other injured people can join the class action lawsuit (become class members).
Do you feel you have a claim as part of a class action? An experienced Lead Counsel class action attorney can advise you on whether filing a class action or an individual lawsuit is best for your case, as well as advise you on what steps you need to take.
Lindsey O'Neill is the Director of Legal Content and Strategic Development at LawInfo.com. Ms. O'Neill is a California licensed attorney based in La Jolla and experienced in a wide variety of legal and business matters.
I agree with this completely, I pay every month 400.00 for my premium. I have found out that I have a ruptured dic in my neck that is causing spinal compression. I was sent thru all the test and at the last appointment they were to schedule my surgery. I thought great finally relief. As it turned out I was told by my Dr. that the insurance said I had to pay my full deductable of 5,000 before I could have my surgery so as time goes by I sit in pain, severe headaches, numbness in the fingers and hand, and lack of sleep. What do we pay our premiums for? Also my co-payes are as follows, specialist 50.00, general 25.00, hospital 200.00, urgent care 75. this on top of my 400.00 per month premium. This should not be, it is unethical, it is just insurance companies getting rich, and the health of there clients, they could care less. The insurance companies should not have the right to dictate the heath and well-being of the client, just for greed. It should be between the dr. and patient. You will find alot of people who are in this situation who need surgery, health test. ect. and will not be able to because they want the full deductable up front even tho it is for the full year. Who has that kind of money laying around? Health care and insurance has gone down the tubes and in the meantime people are suffering.
Reply