If You Submitted A Claim For Medical Payments Coverage Under An Automobile Insurance Policy Issued By A Company Affiliated With The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., Between January 1, 1990 and April 6, 2010, Or You Are A Healthcare Provider Who Provided Medical Services To Such A Person, You May Be Part Of A Class Action Settlement.
A class action settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit pending against The Hartford Insurance Company of the Midwest (“Hartford Midwest”) and Hartford Fire Insurance Company (“Hartford Fire”) (collectively “Hartford” or “Defendants”) in the Circuit Court for the Third Judicial Circuit, Madison County, Illinois (styled Winnie Madison and Geraldine Huff v. Hartford Insurance Company of the Midwest and Hartford Fire Insurance Company, Case No. 00-L- 720) alleging that The Hartford Insurance Company of the Midwest and its affiliates improperly paid healthcare providers less than the full amount charged by those providers for certain services and equipment in connection with claims arising under the medical payments coverage of automobile insurance policies issued by Hartford Midwest or its affiliates, according to the Hartford automobile insurance medical payments coverage class action settlement notice.
The Hartford automobile insurance medical payments coverage class action complaint reportedly alleges that defendants improperly made reductions based on computerized bill review, and that the defendants asserted that the reductions were based on a determination that the amount of the healthcare provider’s charge exceeded a reasonable price for the healthcare service or equipment in question.
The Hartford automobile insurance medical payments coverage class action settlement, if approved by the court, reportedly provides that Hartford agrees to pay valid and timely claims submitted by Insured Persons or Healthcare Providers up to an aggregate total of $7.5 million ($7,500,000). The Hartford settlement class reportedly includes the following:
i. Any Insured Person (a) who, between January 1, 1990 and April 6, 2010, received medical or other healthcare treatment or equipment that was the subject of a Medical Bill submitted under the medical payments coverage (as defined in the policy) of an automobile insurance policy issued by any Hartford Party, and (b) on whose behalf any Released Party made a payment or payments that was/were reduced because of a Disputed Reduction (a “Disputed Reduction” means the difference between (i) the amount of a charge appearing on a Medical Bill submitted by a Healthcare Provider and (ii) the amount paid by a Released Party for such charge where such difference is the result of a Released Party’s determination that the amount of the charge exceeded a reasonable price for the healthcare service or equipment in question); and
ii. Any Healthcare Provider (a) who submitted a Medical Bill to a Hartford Party, under the medical payments coverage (as defined in the policy) of an automobile insurance policy issued by a Hartford Party, for medical or other healthcare services or equipment provided to an Insured Person between January 1, 1990 and April 6, 2010; (b) who received an Assignment from such Insured Person; and (c) who received a payment or payments for such Medical Bill that was/were reduced because of a Disputed Reduction.
Subject to any additional limitations in the Hartford Settlement Agreement, an Insured Person Claimant who submits a timely and valid claim in accordance with the Hartford Settlement Agreement, and who either paid all or part of the Disputed Reduction to his or her Healthcare Provider(s), or who received a demand or request for payment for all or part of the amount of a Disputed Reduction (“Balance Billed”), may reportedly receive a class action settlement payment in an amount up to 60% of the amount of the Disputed Reduction.
An Insured Person Claimant who did not reimburse the Healthcare Provider for any of the Disputed Reduction, or who was not Balance Billed, may reportedly receive a class action settlement payment in an amount up to 60% of the amount of the Disputed Reduction, but such an Insured Person may, under no circumstances, receive a total settlement payment of more than $10.
Healthcare Provider Claimants who received and can provide copies of valid Assignments from their patients, and who submit a claim that is timely and valid in accordance with the Hartford Settlement Agreement, shall reportedly be entitled to a settlement payment of up to 60% of the amount of the Disputed Reduction, subject to certain additional limits and the provision of required documentation.
The Hartford automobile insurance medical payments coverage class action settlement also provides that in the future, the Hartford defendants may elect to make certain disclosures about their use of computer bill review to review the reasonableness of medical payment claims.
The court is scheduled to hold a class action fairness hearing on September 2, 2010, at 1:30 p.m., before Judge Daniel Stack, Third Judicial Circuit Court for Madison County, Illinois, Madison County Courthouse, 155 North Main Street, Edwardsville, Illinois 62025, to hear, among other things, comments, objections, and arguments concerning the fairness of the proposed Settlement.
For more or updated information on the Hartford automobile insurance medical payments coverage class action lawsuit settlement and potential settlement benefits, visit the Hartford Medical Pay class action settlement website:
www.hartfordmedpaysettlement.com
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