Emergency Care Law Test Awaits in Delayed UnitedHealth Policy

UnitedHealthcare’s recent attempt to deny coverage of certain emergency room visits for “non-emergency” patient conditions may bring a new test to the limits of patient protection laws.

The insurance giant announced in June it would delay the policy through the end of the Covid-19 public health emergency. “We will use this time to continue to educate consumers, customers and providers on the new program and help ensure that people visit an appropriate site of service for non-emergency care needs,” it wrote in a statement.

Denying emergency room coverage may be a violation of federal patient protections, specifically the “prudent layperson” ...