Anthem Settles Spinal Surgery Suit, Will Cover Denied Claims

Anthem Inc. will pay up to $35,000 per affected patient to settle claims that it wrongly failed to cover a new spinal surgery aimed at treating neck and arm pain.

The settlement, announced in court papers filed Nov. 26, will resolve a proposed class action challenging Anthem’s failure to cover two-level cervical artificial disc replacement surgery. Anthem will reimburse qualifying patients who paid out-of-pocket for the surgery and will process new requests for reimbursement under updated plan terms allowing the surgery to be covered, according to the settlement papers.

Nearly 200 people will benefit from the settlement, the parties say. ...