Two patients are seeking class-action status for a lawsuit filed May 2 against Premier and on-call plastic surgeon Kenneth Christman, MD, arguing they were unlawfully charged an out-of-network rate despite going to in-network Miami (Ohio) Valley Hospital, the Dayton Daily News reported. One plaintiff received a $17,031 medical bill after receiving plastic surgery for injuries sustained from a bicycle accident. The other plaintiff got hit with a $9,458 bill after Dr. Christman provided plastic surgery for the patient following a car crash.
The plaintiffs argued Miami Valley hospital staff told their families the hospital was in network and should have notified them that Dr. Christman is a contracted physician, not a hospital employee. However, Dr. Christman and Premier filed responses to the suit, claiming they are not legally obligated to tell patients whether or not a physician is in-network with their insurance plan.
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