On Tuesday a case was filed in the Northern District of California. The case was filed by a plaintiff against Anthem Blue Cross and AMN Healthcare Services Inc. The case is regarding failure to pay for mental health benefits in contravention of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) requires that insurance companies that provide mental health services in parity to the same level of services that are provided for medical treatments. The plaintiff is the parent of a minor patient who suffers from ADHD, depression, and suicidal ideations. The plaintiff received treatment at an outpatient level, but the treatment was deemed insufficient per the patients doctors and the patient received inpatient treatment from three inpatient facilities, including a mental health wilderness camp and two inpatient combination school and inpatient treatment facilities.
The plaintiff seeks recovery of benefits under ERISA and the MHPAEA and sues for breach of fiduciary duties. The plaintiff is represented by the DL Law Group.