In “Blue Cross Plan Accused Of Fraud In ‘Ghost Network’ Class-Action Lawsuit” (HealthExec, October 23, 2024), Health Exec discusses the class action lawsuit filed by Pollock Cohen LLP partner Steve Cohen and co-counsel Walden Macht Haran & Williams LLP partner Jake Gardener against Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield regarding the issue of inaccurate health care provider directories and their impact on patients’ access to mental health care.
The article explains that thousands of patients claim Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield published an inaccurate directory that misled them into believing certain doctors were in-network. For some patients, this meant significant delays in care or abandoning treatment altogether. After hearing the patients’ stories, the plaintiff’s attorneys conducted a “secret shopper” investigation, calling “100 doctors listed in the directory who supposedly accepted the BCBS insurance.” Only seven of the 100 accepted BCBS insurance would take new patients. The rest either did not accept the insurance, did not provide the necessary services, or were unreachable. Steve Cohen remarked, “We knew ghost networks were a problem, but we had no idea it was this bad.” This case highlights the significant financial harm and delays in care experienced by patients seeking treatment, particularly in mental health services, due to the misleading directory.
To read the full article, click on the link below.
Blue Cross Plan Accused Of Fraud In 'Ghost Network' Class-Action Lawsuit | HealthExec
