Here are four things to know ahead of a verdict:
1. TeamHealth’s lawsuit alleges that UnitedHealthcare’s shared savings plan encouraged undercutting or terminating contracts with physicians. TeamHealth claims the payer underpaid on 11,000 claims, totaling $10.5 million.
2. During proceedings, former UnitedHealthcare executive John Haben claimed the payer would pay surprise medical bills only if a member complained. The insurer responded by calling the lawsuit “meritless” and an effort to distract spectators from TeamHealth leaving UnitedHealthcare’s network after demanding high reimbursement rates.
3. Total payouts could range from $10.5 million to $1 billion if UnitedHealthcare is found guilty, according to a news release shared with Becker’s.
4. The lawsuit is one of several between the companies. UnitedHealthcare is also suing TeamHealth in Tennessee over what it claims were $100 million in upcoded claims since 2016.
