Case: Chace v. Medical Savings Insurance Company

DENTIST/PATIENT SUES HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY TO FORCE PAYMENT OF MEDICAL BILLS

03-258, Judge Makemson, Martin County, Florida

The Chaces, both dentists themselves, were insured for health insurance with Medical Savings Insurance Company. After being admitted in the hospital to remove benign tumors, Jennifer Chace’s insurance company failed to fully pay her hospital bills. As a result, the Chaces’ were sued by their hospital for the unpaid bills. Medical Savings paid only a portion of the Chaces’ hospital bills and reduced the payments based on an undisclosed formula not contained in the insurance policy. The Chases’ filed a class action lawsuit against Medical Savings to require it to pay the hospital’s usual and customary charges. The Chases’ also sued claiming that the insurance policy failed to meet the requirements of Florida’s Out of State Group Insurance Laws and the payment formula used by Medical Savings was not disclosed in the insurance policy. The Chaces’ lawsuit is brought on behalf of all insureds in Florida who treated in Florida hospitals and whose bills were not paid or partially paid under the insurance contract. This class action lawsuit was certified and the Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court’s certification order.