In December 2009, a United States District Court granted approval of the previously disclosed $350 million settlement that would resolve a class-action lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group.

UnitedHealth agreed to the settlement to compensate physicians and their patients for 15 years of artificially low payments for out-of-network services. Physicians are eligible to file for damages if they provided covered out-of-network services or supplies between March 15, 1994 and November 18, 2009 to a health plan insured or administered by UnitedHealth or its subsidiaries and have billed for those services.

Claim forms must be completed and submitted by October 5.  Physicians must start the filing process today.  To begin the process, download a copy of this form and submit it to the settlement claims administrator for a copy of the defendant's report, which indicates the covered out-of-network services and supplies physicians provided their patients from January 1, 2002, to May 28, 2010.  It may take several weeks before physicians receive the report, so the sooner copies are requested, the better.

The American Medical Association offers various online resources to help physicians file a claim, including an educational webinar, a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions and a step-by-step guide to help them maximize their recovery from the settlement. Click here to view these resources.