A class-action lawsuit has been filed against health insurer UnitedHealthcare alleging the company is acting in violation of the federal mental health parity law by improperly denying mental health and substance-abuse related claims, according to a Bloomberg report.
The lawsuit alleges UnitedHealthcare is using restrictive internal practices not accepted by the mental health community to purposely deny mental health claims to avoid paying for the often costly treatment of chronic conditions, according to the report.
The lawsuit further alleges the "restrictive guidelines" used by UnitedHealthcare are discriminatory, as they are only applied to patients with mental illness, according to the report.
The class-action lawsuit was filed by three UnitedHealthcare members who had been denied coverage for mental health and substance abuse treatment.
More Articles on Class-Action Lawsuits:
Class-Action Suit Filed Against Health Care Service Corporation Over Misused Profits
11 Recent Healthcare Lawsuits, Settlements
Whistle-Blower Drops Class-Action Lawsuit Against UPMC Over Data Breach