Some customers of Anthem, a health insurance company, have sued the company in California, claiming that its policies wrongfully deny prosthetic limbs to some amputee customers. The amputees allege that the company has wrongfully labeled some limbs as “investigational” in spite of studies that show otherwise.
The lawsuit alleges that the company has refused to pay for microprocessor-controlled prosthetic limbs. Those limbs are controlled by computer chips instead of the human body and can result in significant benefits to users. They are much more expensive than limbs that are controlled by the body, and as a result many insurance companies are refusing to pay for them.
According to the lawsuit, Anthem’s written policies acknowledge that there are studies that demonstrate the benefits offered by microprocessor-controlled prostheses. The policies even reference studies that conclude that microprocessor-controlled prostheses provide significant benefits over other prostheses, yet the company concludes that the technology is “experimental and/or investigational”.
The lawsuit is asking that Anthem be required to provide microprocessor-controlled prosthetic limbs to its customers and is seeking to be certified as a class action lawsuit. If you or a loved one has had a claim for an artificial limb denied by Anthem, call me, Conal Doyle, California personal injury attorney, at 310-385-0567. I am working on several lawsuits against insurance companies for their failure to provide prosthetic limbs and I can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.