Aetna, Optum Cleared for $8.35 Million ‘Dummy’ Code Settlement

Aetna Inc. and OptumHealth Care Solutions Inc. finalized an $8.35 million class settlement resolving claims they wrongly conspired to charge patients administrative fees disguised as medical expenses by using “dummy” codes.

The deal requires the defendants to pay $4.8 million—$4.6 million from Aetna and $200,000 from Optum—into a settlement fund that will be used to compensate individual patients and health plans for the alleged overpayments. It also requires Aetna to separately pay $3.55 million in attorneys’ fees.

Judge Martin Reidinger of the US District Court for the Western District of North Carolina granted final approval to the deal Thursday, saying ...