Posts Tagged ‘ United Health ’

AMA settlement with United Healthcare

December 10th, 2009. By AbiK

stethoscope and money AMA settlement with United Healthcare If you remember my rant on out of network fees and the post on how those fees—ie, the reasonable and customary ones—are determined, compliments of a company called Ingenix, which is a unit of United Healthcare, well, here’s a little update.

Back when we were all either contemplating the end of the world as we knew it or laughing at those who were as we rang in the new millennium, another group of individuals was a little miffed with Ingenix and UnitedHealth: the AMA, the Medical Society of the State of New York, and the Missouri State Medical Association. And so, in 2000, they filed a lawsuit charging that United Healthcare Group colluded with others to underpay physicians for out-of-network medical services.

Well, here we are some nine years later and the US District Court for the Southern District of New York has granted preliminary approval of the $350 million settlement that if completely green-lighted will resolve the suit.

The final hearing date is still tbd—but it’ll be with the Hon. D. J. McKenna, US District Judge.

And you thought only patients were getting screwed by those health insurance company out-of-network fees…

Tags: Ingenix, out of network, United Health, United Health Care
Posted in Drugs/Medical | 21471 Comment »AMA+settlement+with+United+Healthcare2009-12-10+19%3A51%3A44AbiK

Paying Out of Network the Aetna Way: How Out-of-Network Charges are Determined

May 9th, 2009. By LucyC

If youâ€™re wondering how some of those big-name insurance companies figure out out-of-network medical fees, look no further than the Aetna website; better yet, read on—we did the search & click for youâ€¦

We blogged about the company Ingenix being a part of UnitedHealth. Aetna does disclose the relationship between UHC and Ingenix and the recent settlements with the NY Attorney Generalâ€™s office. It wonâ€™t increase how much reimbursement youâ€™ll get on your out-of-network medical expenses, but hey, at least theyâ€™re upfront about it. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Aetna, health insurance, out of network charges, United Health
Posted in Drugs/Medical | 671 Comment »2009-05-09+14%3A26%3A47LucyC