MINNEAPOLIS, April 26,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PatientRightsAdvocate.org filed
an amicus brief in the case of Secretary Julie A. Su, Acting Secretary of Labor v. Blue
Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) of Minnesota, arguing that their motion to
dismiss the case should be denied on the basis that BCBS was an
ERISA fiduciary and that ERISA's fiduciary protections are needed
to police third-party administrator contracts that hide healthcare
prices from beneficiaries and obstruct beneficiaries from finding
high-quality, cost-efficient care.
According to the lawsuit, the Department of Labor
alleges that Blue Cross Blue Sheild of Minnesota has wrongfully collected
$66.8 Million in a "provider tax" to
370 self-funded employer health plans, which is usually paid by
hospitals and clinics.
"PatientRightsAdvocate.org commends the Department of Labor for
acting to protect patients and employers. We are pleased to support
DOL in helping explain to the court why Blue Cross acted unlawfully
and in breach of its duties by secretly charging employer health
plans for provider taxes. We look forward to the court's resolution
of this important case, and we will continue to fight on behalf of
patients to make healthcare more affordable, transparent, and
accountable." said Cynthia
Fisher, Founder and Chairman of
PatientRightsAdvocate.org.
The amicus brief was filed in the U.S. District Court for the
District of Minnesota. Click here
to read the brief in its entirety.
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SOURCE Patient Rights Advocate