Aetna, Optum to Face Class in Revived Fee Overcharging Lawsuit

A lawsuit accusing Aetna Inc. and OptumHealth Care Solutions Inc. of conspiring to charge patients administrative fees disguised as medical expenses received class action status after being revived on appeal.

A North Carolina federal court on Monday certified two classes of participants in health plans insured or administered by Aetna whose claims were assessed using an agreed rate between Aetna and Optum. The case could cover as many as 87,000 people across nearly 2,000 health plans, according to the opinion.

The lawsuit by Sandra Peters claims Aetna plan participants were overcharged under a scheme in which the company subcontracted ...