Judge tosses lawsuit against Anthem over spinal device coverage

Spine

A judge dismissed a lawsuit alleging Anthem wrongfully denied coverage of a spinal device.

Brenda .Honeycutt sued Anthem in July, alleging the insurer did not cover a spinal decompression procedure done with the Coflex interlaminar stabilization device to treat spondylolisthesis. Her lawsuit argued the device should have been covered under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. 

However, Ms. Honeycutt's lawsuit was tossed May 5 by Judge Fernando Olguin, according to documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. A stipulation document filed May 4 said Ms. Honeycutt experienced a complication after having the Coflex device implanted, and her medical providers reimbursed her for out-of-pocket costs. Because of the complication and the fact she was reimbursed, it is unlikely she could establish herself as a "proper class representative," the document said.

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