Class Action Denied Against 2 Insurers

A federal judge denied a doctor’s request to grant class-action status to his false-advertising lawsuit against Aetna Inc. and United HealthCare Corp. U.S. District Judge David Hittner rejected Dr. Kenneth Ford’s request to allow him to bring his lawsuit on behalf of specialist doctors who have contracted with Aetna and United HealthCare, the nation’s two largest health insurers. The ruling could severely limit any court award in the case, which the judge estimated at potentially more than $100,000 for Ford alone should he win the case. The Texas ruling does not say the allegations in the 1996 lawsuit are false, Ford’s attorney, Kenneth Wynne said. He said the lawsuit will go to trial even without class-action status. “It’s important to remember that Dr. Ford’s individual claim has survived the defendants’ motions to dismiss and has been ruled by the court to be a viable complaint,” he said. Ford’s complaint, which names the Aetna unit NYLCARE Health Plans of the Gulf Coast as the lead defendant, says the health insurers deny needed services to boost their profits while advertising that they offer high-quality care.