Aetna, Dentists Settle Class-Action Lawsuit
From Associated Press
Aetna Inc. and the American Dental Assn. announced a class-action settlement by dentists who accused the Hartford, Conn.-based insurer of interfering with dental procedures to cut costs and forcing dentists to comply with excessive paperwork.
The settlement calls for Aetna to pay $4 million to 40,000 to 50,000 dentists and $1 million to the ADA Foundation, a charitable group. Lawyers’ fees would total $1.25 million, the dentists’ association said.
The agreement, which must be approved by the U.S. District Court in Miami, is similar to a May 22 settlement of a lawsuit filed by hundreds of thousands of doctors who sued over payment and treatment issues.
Aetna shares rose 9 cents to $57.93 on the NYSE.
