By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    improving patient experience
    6 Ways to Improve Patient Satisfaction Within Hospitals
    December 1, 2021
    degree for healthcare job
    What Are The Health Benefits Of Having A Degree?
    March 9, 2022
    custom software development is changing healthcare
    Digital Customer Journey Mapping and its Importance for Healthcare
    July 21, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Can Thinking Younger Make You Live Longer?
    April 20, 2011
    Image
    Obesity’s Outlook Unchanged
    June 13, 2011
    When It’s An Emergency Elderly Not Treated As Well in Hospitals
    July 16, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against UnitedHealthGroup: Mental Health Claim Denials & Violation of Parity Laws
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against UnitedHealthGroup: Mental Health Claim Denials & Violation of Parity Laws
Policy & Law

Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against UnitedHealthGroup: Mental Health Claim Denials & Violation of Parity Laws

BarbaraDuck
Last updated: March 14, 2013 7:43 am
BarbaraDuck
Share
5 Min Read
Image
SHARE

ImageA class action lawsuit had been filed against UnitedHealthGroup related to mental health claim denials and violation of parity laws. The law firm bringing the suit is the same one that worked on the $350 million Ingenix settlement with United for misusing the Ingenix database to set “usual, customary and reasonable rates for payment.”

ImageA class action lawsuit had been filed against UnitedHealthGroup related to mental health claim denials and violation of parity laws. The law firm bringing the suit is the same one that worked on the $350 million Ingenix settlement with United for misusing the Ingenix database to set “usual, customary and reasonable rates for payment.”

It seems that once again automated algorithms and formulas have inappropriately denied people health care. The same processes are used to find fraud among queries; and the parameters get tweaked up and down depending on new laws, decisions and business intelligence analytics used to maximize profits. United is one of the largest data sellers in healthcare.

In addition, the AAFP recently confronted United for paying some doctors less than Medicare in the US, because of it’s complex calculated math models.

More Read

what is a certified nurse midwife
The Role of a Certified Nurse-Midwife [INFOGRAPHIC]
A New Way to Get Alerts from Government Agencies
How Will We Care for Six Million Centenarians by 2050?- Video
How Predictive Modeling Can Save Healthcare
Intellect Neurosciences Files New Patent Applications for Immunotherapy Methods in Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

Here is a section of the press release about the class action lawsuit:

Pomerantz Grossman Hufford Dahlstrom & Gross LLP has filed a class action lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group Inc. and various subsidiaries, including United Behavioral Health. The class action was filed in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, and docketed under 13 CV 1599, alleging violations of federal and state mental health parity laws and other related statutes. The action has been brought on behalf of three beneficiaries who are insured by health care plans issued or administered by United and whose coverage for mental health claims has been denied or curtailed. These plaintiffs seek to represent a nationwide class of similarly situated subscribers.

In addition, the action was filed on behalf of the New York State Psychiatric Association, Inc., a division of the American Psychiatric Association, seeking injunctive relief in a representational capacity on behalf of its members and their patients.

United is the country’s largest health insurer, administrating plans on behalf of millions of consumers nationwide.

Plaintiffs allege that United has adopted insidious, multi-layered policies and practices that violate applicable parity laws and impose unjustifiable restrictions on mental health care. Each of the three named individual plaintiffs has been subjected to and harmed by these policies.

Among United’s most nefarious practices is its use of concurrent treatment reviews to prospectively limit and deny benefits for conditions that, by definition, are unpredictable. In doing so, United interferes with prescribed treatments and enforces policies contrary to generally accepted standards of care in the mental health community.

As detailed in the 100-page complaint, NYSPA has fielded numerous grievances from its members concerning United’s systemic denials of mental health care. According to Seth P. Stein, NYSPA’s Executive Director and General Counsel, “Over the past year, NYSPA has attempted to work with United Healthcare and its affiliates to resolve some of the issues identified in the complaint, but those efforts were unsuccessful.” As Stein further explains, “Enforcement of existing state and federal parity statutes is paramount to ensure that individuals with mental illness receive access to necessary and appropriate care and treatment.”

Problems experienced by NYSPA members and their patients in receiving proper mental health coverage have been widespread, with United curtailing psychotherapy for patients requiring long-term treatment, and allowing no more than weekly psychotherapy even for actively suicidal patients, including those who have been frequently hospitalized. NYSPA members have also reported that patients with United experience a great deal of difficulty obtaining initial and continued authorizations for intermediate levels of care, such as intensive outpatient treatment for mental health and substance use disorders.

“The mental health parity laws are designed to prevent the very practices in which United has engaged,” says D. Brian Hufford, a Senior Partner of the Pomerantz firm and head of its health care practice.

“Through this action, we seek to compel United to change its restrictive approach to mental health care, while establishing uniform, industry-wide standards.”

TAGGED:health insurancelawsuit
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction heart treatment
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
Cardiology
May 13, 2025

You Might also Like

Image
BusinessFinanceHospital AdministrationPolicy & Law

Why Bundled Payments Aren’t Working

March 6, 2014

No Hospital Left Behind !

August 17, 2012
nervous system
NewsPolicy & Law

Are Sedentary Jobs Increasing the Risk of Nervous System Disorders?

July 17, 2017

HINZ: Health IT in New Zealand

December 2, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?