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United Healthcare Mental Health Coverage Class Action Lawsuit
By Mike Holter
A class action lawsuit claims United Behavioral Health, a unit of United Healthcare Insurance Company, unlawfully denies mental health coverage to policyholders.
According to the class action lawsuit, United Behavioral Health violated California’s Mental Health Parity Act, which requires insurers to provide treatment for mental-health diagnosis according to “the same terms and conditions” applied to medical conditions. Specifically, the insurer is accused of denying and improperly limiting mental health coverage by conducting concurrent and prospective reviews of routine outpatient mental health treatments when no such reviews are conducted for routine outpatient treatments for other medical conditions.
The United Healthcare class action lawsuit further charges the company with violating the Unruh Act by discriminating against people with mental disabilities and psychiatric conditions, as well as violating California’s law prohibiting unfair competition, breaching the terms of its own insurance contract with policyholders, and breaching the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
“This is an important case because it addresses an issue that impacts a wide range of people who are covered by health insurance” said the lead attorney representing the Class in the lawsuit. “For too long, people who suffer from severe mental health issues have not received health insurance coverage on the same terms as conditions that are applied to other conditions.”
The lead Plaintiff in the class action lawsuit is a University of California employee who claims her mental health coverage was improperly reduced from four weekly outpatient psychotherapy sessions to only one weekly session for one month.
The lawsuit is seeking to represent a class consisting of hundreds, and possibly thousands, of University of California employees who were subjected to improper review and denial of treatment for severe mental health illnesses.
Updated May 25th, 2012
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17 thoughts onUnited Healthcare Mental Health Coverage Class Action Lawsuit
Optum has now entered Idaho, and services are drastically being cut. Agencies are shutting down and mentally ill patients are not receiving the care that they deserve! It appears that all Optum cares about is the bottom line, and they could care less what happens to the people that need the services.
you are correct something needs to be done.
I have the same experience as all of you. UBH Optum health is denying treatment, They won’t even return our calls regarding benefits. The day of the Peer to Peer review our “customer care advocate” was working from home and would be able to speak with us. Does anyone know who the lawyer is representing the UC Davis claim?
My son was denied benefits in 2010
United Behavioral Healthcare has refused residential mental health treatment for my 22 year old daughter even after several psychiatrists have done peer to peer reviews, urgent appeals etc… The insurance company stops paying so my daughter is released although she is a danger to herself outside of the controlled environment. Within 5 days of being released from the psychiatric hospital, she was struck by a car. This company is liable! I despise them!!
UBH is refusing to pay more than the $4 generic costs for my wife’s meds, as there are generics available. She has taken the generics with nearly catastrophic result. UBH has denied appeal and sent same to outside appeal entity, who advised that there is no right of appeal since the plan “only allows” for the generic costs on these drugs (Topomax, Lamictal and Effexor XR) and tehrefore has not denied her any benefit, despite her doctor’s affidavit that she can not take the generics. Costing us around $1000 out of pocket every month.
Anyone getting the same line? Any ideas on how to proceed?
UBH/OPTUM is getting paid by my company, premiums yet I fought for myself and now am fighting with me regarding care for my son. He has been cut back to 2 times a month, he is now suicidal and depressed with an attempt. I let them know if anything happens to him I am holding them accountable. I contacted the department of managed care, next calif department of health, and soon my employer. They will get investigated each time by law. Will do it until my son is safe. I want in on a class action law suite.
I have exhausted all of my appeals for my 16 year old son. He is in a residential treatment center. UBH is only covering the day treatment. I am covering the residential part. My son is suicidal, and homicidal but UBH refuses to cover the benefits that I have payed for.
I have just been denied therapy after an appeal. UBH had my therapist submit forms to update and they reviewed my current health and decided I no longer need therapy. How do I file for this lawsuit? I work for sutter.
I would also like more information as they have also done this to me.when I had a psychiatrist, psychologist, and art therapist fight on my behalf to even get 1 session a week. I was denied!!! I can only go once every other week. They care nothing about the needs of the patients.
I would like more information as I am in the same exact situations I have been drastically cut back on my treatment which I feel is unlawful also.