Publication Archive: Commercial Litigation

A California federal judge has refused to toss a proposed class action accusing United Behavioral Health of leaving patients on the hook for surprise medical bills, ruling that the patients detailed how UBH allegedly underpaid for services it should have covered under their health plan. “We look forward to seeking certification of a nationwide class…Read the article

United Behavioral Health and Cigna Behavioral Health face potential class action lawsuits over allegations that they underpaid for out-of-network behavioral health claims. The two companies allegedly used a third-party pricing company called Viant to pay a fraction of what providers were owed. “Regulators have so far ignored complaints from patients and providers alike, so our…Read the article

Plaintiff’s attorney Matt Lavin, of Napoli Shkolnik law firm in New York City, is seeking triple damages for what he says are plaintiffs’ losses amounting to tens of millions of dollars in both unpaid claims and wrongful payments. “All the centers we represent are smaller providers, these are not celebrity beachfront places in Malibu, these…Read the article

The behavioral health units of UnitedHealthcare and Cigna face four class-action lawsuits claiming the insurers conspired with a third-party company to underpay providers and balance bill patients hundreds of millions of dollars. The lawsuits, filed by law firm Napoli Shkolnik April 5, accuse United Behavioral Health and Cigna Behavioral Health of using Viant as a…Read the article

Several behavioral health providers and patients sued UnitedHealth Group and Cigna subsidiaries for allegedly underpaying the providers for out-of-network claims, leaving patients with massive medical bills. Two of the lawsuits were filed by behavioral health providers and two were filed by patients. They are all seeking class action status.Read the article

Cigna and UnitedHealth Group’s behavioral health services arms have colluded with a cost-containment middleman to cheat patients on payments for out-of-network mental health and addiction treatment and underpay providers, according to a series of new proposed class actions. Matthew M. Lavin, an attorney for the plaintiffs, told Law360 on Friday that there would collectively be…Read the article

The lawsuit alleges Cigna and United Behavioral  underpaid Out-Of-Network claims. “Cigna and United’s use of Viant to systematically underpay treatment costs for addicts and the mentally ill is, sadly, just today’s example of insurers placing profits before behavioral health patients,” Matt Lavin, a partner at Napoli Shkolnik PLLC in Washington, D.C., and the lead attorney…Read the article

Four substance abuse treatment centers in Michigan have filed a lawsuit against an insurance company over claims that it “slashed” reimbursement rates, or did not pay, for the treatment of patients at their facilities. Central to the dispute is the fact that the four centers are all out of network – one subsequently applied to…Read the article

Four Michigan addiction treatment facilities have filed a federal lawsuit against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) over what they term an unjustified slashing of payments and a high number of claims denials for substance use treatment since 2016. Partner Matt Lavin of the law firm representing the facilities tells Behavioral Healthcare Executive that…Read the article

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan faces a lawsuit filed on behalf of mental health and substance abuse treatment providers that accused the insurer of underpaying claims. New York City-based law firm Napoli Shkolnik filed the lawsuit on behalf of four substance abuse treatment centers in the United States District Court for the Western District…Read the article