Humana Defeats Teenager’s Lawsuit Over Eating Disorder Care

Humana Health Plan of Texas Inc. isn’t liable under federal benefits law for refusing to cover 106 days of residential treatment in a Utah facility for a teenager with an eating disorder.

The ruling comes six months after a federal appeals court in Louisiana ruled in the teenager’s favor, effectively overturning a 1991 insurer-friendly decision that made it harder for insureds to challenge benefit denials in court.

At the time, the teenager garnered support from the Labor Department and multiple industry groups, including AARP, the Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness, the Texas Department of Insurance, and the ...