UnitedHealthcare to Face Trial in Liposuction Coverage Suit

A class action accusing UnitedHealthcare Insurance Co. of wrongly refusing to cover specialized liposuction treatments for lipedema patients got another boost when a federal judge in California denied the insurer’s request to resolve the case without a trial.

A trial with expert testimony is needed to determine whether liposuction is a safe and effective treatment for lipedema, Judge William Alsup of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled Wednesday. His decision advances a class action covering nearly three dozen patients whose claims for liposuction coverage were denied.

The lawsuit, led by Mary Caldwell, accuses United ...