Submit your claim details for a free, no obligation case review
Get Started:
A judge ordered the medical insurer Health Net Inc. to pay more than $9 million in damages to a woman after cutting off her coverage while she was being treated for breast cancer.
Treatment Stopped
Patsy Bates, a 52-year-old mother of two, had started chemotherapy for her cancer when her doctors refused to provide further treatment because of unpaid medical bills. Health Net had canceled her policy and left her nearly $130,000 in unpaid bills.
“I was devastated. I didn’t know what was going to happen. It’s boggling that someone can do that to you,” she said.
Damages Awarded
A state-funded program helped Bates continue her treatment. Last week, arbitration judge Sam Cianchetti awarded Bates compensation for her unpaid medical costs as well as an additional $750,000 for her emotional distress and $8.4 million in punitive damages.
“It’s hard to imagine a situation more trying than the one Bates had to endure. The rug was pulled out from underneath, and that occurred at a time when she is diagnosed with breast cancer, one of the leading causes of death for women,” the judge wrote.
Health Net Faces Criminal Charges
The award came just a day after a lawsuit against Health Net by the Los Angeles city attorney for illegally terminating over 1,500 patient policies. City Attorney Ricky Delgadillo said the company gave bonuses as incentives to administrators for canceling policies.
“It’s hard to imagine a police more reprehensible than tying bonuses to encourage the recision of health insurance that helps keep the public well and alive,” Cianchetti said in his decision.
(Source: Associated Press)
Victim of bad faith insurance? Contact an experienced attorney near you today to discuss your circumstances.