Mikal Watts Speaks Out on Legal Battle With Insurance Companies for Prompt Pay

HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwire - Feb 13, 2013) - Leading Texas trial lawyer Mikal Watts is helping healthcare providers battle insurance companies under Texas "prompt pay" law for payments due. His law firm, Watts Guerra Craft LLP, recently formed the "Prompt Pay Claims Resolution Group" and invested millions of dollars in medical data mining software to identify unpaid and underpaid health insurance claims. The Group has since contracted with more than 500 physicians, hospitals and other healthcare providers to take legal action against insurance companies to collect money due including claim payments, penalties and interest.

"Most insured Texans pay high premiums for health insurance and if they do not pay as agreed, they lose coverage," says Watts. "Insurance companies demand those premiums, yet often delay, deny or underpay payment to healthcare providers for services provided to the insured. It is a greedy practice that must stop." 

Watts, a 45-year-old plaintiff's attorney and native Texan, has successful represented injured plaintiffs in numerous high-profile cases against national and multinational corporations, including litigation against Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. and Ford Motor Company in the country's most significant product liability case. By representing healthcare providers in legal battles with insurance companies, Watts says he hopes to bring an end to the practice of delaying, denying and underpaying rightful claims.

Prompt pay provisions under the Texas Insurance Code, applicable to HMOs and insured PPO plans, require insurance companies pay claims to healthcare providers within specific timelines or be subject to penalties and interest. Watts says his Prompt Pay Claims Resolution Group already identified hundreds of millions of dollars due to healthcare providers the Group represents.

"And we are just getting started," says Watts.

About Mikal Watts:

Mikal Watts is a Texas trial lawyer, Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and a capital partner in the prestigious law firm Watts Guerra Craft LLP. Mr. Watts has served on the board of multiple legal associations and received several awards and accolades, including selection to Texas Super Lawyers, 2003-2012. Watts is a native Texan, born in Corpus Christi and currently based in San Antonio, Texas.