NEW YORK, May 15, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Continuing its commitment to consumers and consumer rights, Scott + Scott has commenced class action litigation in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of insurance customers of WellPoint, Inc. ("WellPoint" or the "Company") (NYSE:WLP), against the Company, UnitedHealth Group, Inc. and Ingenix, Inc. alleging that these companies, along with alleged co-conspirators Aetna, Inc., CIGNA Corporation, Oxford Health Plans, Health Net, Inc., created and used rigged data to deliberately under-reimburse WellPoint subscribers for out-of-network services they received.
The lawsuit, filed in California federal court, follows on the action commenced in early 2008 in Connecticut federal court by Scott + Scott on behalf of healthcare subscribers against Aetna, UnitedHealth Group and Ingenix.
Specifically, the WellPoint complaint alleges that WellPoint and its co-conspirators, engaged in a scheme to utilize skewed data provided by UnitedHealth Group and its wholly-owned subsidiary Ingenix to systematically reduce reimbursement for out-of-network services consumers received. The lawsuits relate to a recent investigation launched by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo that found that Ingenix data is intentionally manipulated to allow the conspiring health plans to shortchange reimbursements to doctors on medical bills.
For more information about this action, please visit http://www.scott-scott.com/Top-Headlines/INGENIX-ANTITRUST-CLASS-ACTIONS.html. If you wish to discuss the WellPoint or Aetna actions or have any questions concerning this press release or your rights or interests, please contact Christopher M. Burke (800-332-2259, or cburke@scott-scott.com) or Joseph P. Guglielmo (212-223-6444, or jguglielmo@scott-scott.com).
Scott+Scott has significant experience in prosecuting major securities, antitrust and employee retirement plan actions throughout the United States. The firm represents pension funds, foundations, individuals and other entities worldwide.