Firm Client Brings “Medical Necessity”Class Action Lawsuit Challenging Insurer’s Coverage Denials For Drug Screening And Treatment
Collyer Smith, a Michigan resident, has commenced a class action lawsuit in federal court in Indiana challenging his health insurer’s practice of presumptively denying coverage for UA drug testing and Intensive Outpatient treatment. Both UA drug testing and Intensive Outpatient treatment are regularly used in the treatment of substance use disorder.
Smith alleges that Golden Rule Insurance Company, and two related companies that provide claims processing services, breached their health insurance contract by 1) failing to follow their own promises to cover “medically necessary” services and 2) violating the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which is incorporated as a matter of law in their contracts with Smith.
Smith’s claim arose in 2017-18, when the defendants refused to cover these services for his son, who has since died of a drug overdose. The case is now pending before the federal district court in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Smith is represented by Jordan Lewis, P.A., Delaney & Delaney, LLC, Greg Coleman Law, Crueger Dickinson, LLC, and Wexler Wallace.